Hi everybody! I'm back. I hope that you enjoy this chapter of Once Upon A Younger Year. Yes, the professor is based off of my science teacher. This chapter is dedicated to the sixth graders at my school. Thanks for coming up with the idea for who the professor really is. ^_^ Thanks for reading!
The Cybertronian stumbles forward, their gold optics wide with distress. A door opens with a creak, and Kala and Abby step out of the building. They approach the Cybertronian cautiously, almost as if they were a startled horse. The mech shutters his optics and stands in place, swaying, as the girls continue to walk towards him.
"Hello?" Kala asks, and the Cybertronian does not answer. "Hello?" The Cybertronian backs up, almost falling over again. "It's okay. We're not going to hurt you," Kala says, and the mech stands still again.
Abby runs a quick scan and reports her findings to Kala. ::He's a Neutral. There's extensive damage to his frame, most likely caused by missiles. It looks like he's had a run-in with Lockdown.:: She sighs, and Kala decides to change tactics. ::And, Kala. He's not just any Neutral,:: Abby continues, and Kala looks back over her shoulder at her friend. ::He's a Knight.:: Kala blinks in surprise, and Abby quickly shakes her head, as if shaking off cobwebs. "Sorry. It's the whole 'I can read your mind' garbage."
"I wouldn't buy that for one second coming from anyone else, but it's you. We both have our own abilities, but I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure that yours in not mindreading, no matter what Bumblebee says. I'd call it more… mind control." Kala smiles, and Abby rolls her eyes as her friend turns back towards the Cybertronian. "My name is Deep Freeze. This is Deep Abyss. We're Autobots," Kala says, "and we're going to help you." The world spins in front of the white mech's optics, and they fall with a crash.
"Great job, Kala. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."
"How long have you known?" Kala asks, absent-mindedly picking at her fingernail.
"From when you first walked in," the professor says, and Kala knows that Abby is growing more irritated by the second.
"But HOW? How did you know that we were Cybertronians? Autobots, even?" She shouts, jumping off of the table that she was sitting on.
"Let's just say that I'm… perceptive. No pun intended." The professor smiles a little bit, and looks up at Kala. "I know that you're trying to figure this out, Kala. You'll get it eventually. You're not Ops for no reason." The three sit in silence for a few minutes, looking at the white and red Cybertronian. "I don't get it, though. This mech was upgraded in a way similar to Drift's. I'd say that they both were upgraded in the same city, at least. But it's not the work of Autobots or Decepticons."
Abby, who has calmed down a little bit, speaks up again: "He is a Knight, then! I was right!" The professor and Kala both look up, and recognition dawns on their faces.
"Wait. Hold that thought. You said that you were 'perceptive,'" Kala whacks her head back against the wall, and Abby and the professor stare at her blankly. "Of course! I'm an idiot. I have two questions for you, though." The professor smiles a little bit as Abby puts together the pieces and catches up to her twin. "Number one. Aren't you Cybertronian? Number two. I thought that you were a mech," Kala tilts her head to the right, and the professor laughs.
"Yes to both. I told you you'd figure it out. I'm Perceptor," the professor gets out of their chair and transforms, towering over the two girls. "It was an illusion. You saw what I wanted you to see, and now you can see me as I truly am."
The girls look at each other, not quite knowing what to do. The sound of a mech coming online makes the three Cybertronians turn back towards the Knight, who is now sitting up. They stare at the Autobots, recognizing the fact that they are currently unable to fend for themself at the moment. "Drift… he's being hunted."