[Location: Autobot Base]
Blissful quiet. The kids were at school. The bots were out on patrol. Ratchet was out with Optimus since the Autobot leader had spotted another small energon deposit. This all left Elita-One alone in the base. It also let her focus one on one on, well… herself, as she sat on her overturned metal mug, her hair piled up in a messy bun on the top of her head.
She observed how her larger body transformed, mentally commanding it in and out of its vehicular mode. Her legs became the front wheel, the handlebars located on the outer side of her knees while in robot mode, the feet folding and locking the front wheel, which actually split in two and rested at her outer ankles in her robotic mode, in place. Her shoulder storage was the storage and cover for her rear wheels, her head tucking into and locking under the back bench. That left the driver seat and the console attached to it the torso and abdomen section of her bot form.
While it was standing still for her, Elita noted that the console section of the motorbike form split in two, giving a bit more definition to her hip-line. Opening up the chasse again, she looked inside the cavity from where she fell. It was large enough, obviously, for her to fit in. The question was how to go about it.
Once again, the larger form shifted into its vehicular mode. Elita gingerly climbed onto the driver's seat, her hands resting on the handlebars. She could feel what the larger form did, sense what direction it was 'looking' in. Since she was the only one at the base she had forgone the over shirt, but she could feel a tingle across the Autobot symbol on her back. Ratchet had told her that it was actually made up of nanofiber circuitry when he had first scanned it.
Looking down at the speedometer Elita took a deep breath before giving the impulse to transform. The seat she was on opened up and as the bot form lifted up she fell into the opening. Harness straps secured around her torso in an X shape and as she felt her back connect with the Autobot symbol on the inside; her view from her human shape faded and she saw directly through her larger form's eyes as it completed its transformation.
Looking down at her larger hands, Elita had to smile. "There we go."
When the request came through for Optimus and Ratchet to return, she was waiting by the ground bridge switch, whole. Both Autobots were careful as they stepped through, not seeing her human form nearby.
"There are no smaller beings around at the moment, gentlemen," she said as she shut down the ground bridge. "Is the energon useable?"
Ratchet nodded at her question. "It will take some work, but we did find a viable, all be it small, mine."
"Wonderful!"
"We see that you have managed to merge back with your larger form, Elita," Optimus spoke next.
She nodded up at her commanding officer, "Yes, sir. I just had to think it over and let it talk to me about it all."
"A wise idea," he agreed.
Looking over at Ratchet, she had to return the approving smile he had. "M.E.C.H. origin aside, you have done well in adapting all of this. I doubt very few humans would have accepted it as easily if it had happened to them."
Giving a shrug, her smile faded to a smirk. "I'll be the first to admit that this isn't exactly ideal for me, but there's really nothing that I could do or have done to change it. And honestly I think Vector Sigma understood that, knowing that part of me will forever be human in my mind and giving me another form that represents that."
Nodding in agreement, Prime looked over her as the communications computer began to demand attention. "Excuse me."
Ratchet and Elita parted to let him pass and the medic motioned for her to follow him. Naturally she rolled her eyes, but had a smirk as she did as requested. "Alright Elita, let me see."
"Geeze… buy me dinner at least first," she mumbled and then chuckled at the confused look that crossed his face, "Never mind." Lying back on his work table, she calmed herself to let her torso open up.
Ratchet looked in, gently touching the human form that was snugly secured in the metallic harness system, her legs bent somewhat at the knees to help her fit. Her eyes were closed, her head relaxed in a headrest designed to cradle it and avoid unnecessary jarring. "Are you able to attain your vehicular form?"
"Yes, very easily."
"Any control issues?" He was scanning the human form now, frowning thoughtfully over the information that he was receiving.
"Only when I think too hard about it," she said. "When I relax it's pretty much like before it happened; all instinct."
"Good, good." As the medic stepped away to look over his console, she sat up and let herself seal back into place. They both focused on Optimus as he stepped over to them.
"Ratchet, Arcee is caught in a traffic jam and is unable to pick up Jack from school."
"I'll do it," Elita offered as she hopped of the table.
Optimus looked down at her, "Are you sure you are feeling up to it?"
"Very much so," she nodded, "And besides, I need food."
Giving it a moment's thought, Optimus nodded to her. "Very well . Be careful."
She saluted him, "Will do, boss."
They watched as her torso opened up, her larger pair of eyes grow dim before her human body hopped out. As her feet touched the ground her larger body transformed into vehicular mode. She had an over shirt and a red helmet pulled out of one of her side compartments and on her before she waved at them and zoomed out of the base.
[Location: Jasper, Nevada]
The custom red and gray trike pulled up to the front of the high school and the driver relaxed her arms as she relaxed her arms as she waited. Her mother had always been against her getting a motorcycle. Funny how she never imagined being the bike as well. Control didn't get much easier than actually being the vehicle. She felt everything the bike did.
Hearing the school bell ring, she turned the visor of her helmet to the entrance. There were a few other students that came out the doors and headed to the other vehicles there of parents picking them up or their own rides. When Jack came out of the doors, Elita waved at him to get his attention. When he saw her he smiled and quickly made his way down the steps and over to her.
"Good to see you out and about, E."
"Good to get some fresh air. Your ride was stuck in traffic."
"With no way to get 'free' to bridge back," he said as he opened up the storage compartment over her right rear wheel. As he closed it they both turned their attention to a young lady calling Jack's name. Sierra was standing there, her arms holding her books. Jack turned to face her, returning the greeting.
"I see that your mom got her own bike," the cheerleader said, peeking around the young man.
Elita pulled off her helmet, resting it on her lap as she focused on the younger lady, a pair of holographic sunglasses covering her eyes. "I'm his Aunt. Just picking him up since I'm fixing up his ride."
"Y-yeah!" the black haired teen motioned to the woman sitting on the bike, "Sierra, this is my aunt Ellan," and then to the teenage girl, "Aunt Ellan, this is Sierra."
"Charmed," Elita said and then cleared her throat. "We need to get going so you're not late for work, Jack."
"Alright," and he turned back to the young lady. "I guess I'll see you later."
"Sure, Jack." She gave her shy wave before walking off.
Jack was smiling as he watched her leave, until he felt a helmet hit him in the gut, his hands automatically grabbing a hold of it. Looking down he saw that Elita's helmet was in his hands. "What was that for?"
"She's not worth your time," the older woman mumbled, starting her vehicular mode up as Jack took a spot on the bench.
"What makes you so sure of that?" Jack had crossed his arms as they took off, apparently not thrilled about Elita's short tone about Sierra. The girl had helped him after all to get stuff for the newest Autobot.
"I've been around her kind most of my life. Trust me, she's not worth your time."
At his scoff she smiled. "Y-you don't even know her."
"I'll give you that. I know what I've been told," she turned a corner, pulling into the K.O. Burger parking lot and into a parking spot. Jack slipped off of the bench seat and handed her back the red helmet. "You need to ask yourself one thing, Jack."
"And that's that?" He was a bit short with his tone as he pulled his backpack free and faced her again.
"If you had an earth shattering secret that you'll be carrying with you for the rest of your life," she paused to let that sink in a bit, "do you think that she would be trustworthy enough to keep it?" As he thought on the issue, Jack's frame relaxed. "Your regular ride should be back in time. If not, I'll be back."
The young man watched as she put her helmet back on and backed out of parking space before pulling off. He had to smirk as what she had said to him began to make sense. The Autobots were probably going to be a part of his life for probably the rest of it and if he was going to have a relationship with anybody he would have to really weigh if they were trustworthy enough to bring into his closest circle of friends. Slinging his backpack over one shoulder, Jake made his way into the building to begin his shift.
As she pulled out of the city limits, Elita relaxed as she began to enjoy the ride again. As the desert landscape flowed past, she let herself feel it all as her she thought about everything. She saw the base coming up in the distance when a red custom sports car came flying up behind her on the road. Giving a roll of her eyes she waved at the car to go ahead and pass her.
"Elita!" Ratchet's voice came urgently through her ears, "There's a Decepticon right behind you!"
The medic was replied with a human tongued swear as she was shot at from behind. "I'm going to lead him away from the base. Get a ground bridge ready for me."
Knockout couldn't believe his luck. He had been looking for a race to crash, knowing a few of the locals that enjoyed the sport as much if not more than he, when his sensors picked up the tantalizing new little Autobot fem. He approved of the form she had taken for herself, it accented her paint job all the more.
"Knockout to Megatron. You'll never guess who I came across. If you'll be so kind to have Soundwave prepare to open a ground bridge I'll have our latest lady foe ready for pick-up." Speeding up, he aimed his side weapons and fired.
When Elita turned a sharp ninety at the junctioning road right outside of the base she smiled as the Decepticon followed her deeper into the desert. She knew he'd only shoot at her, having been told how vain the Decepticon medic was about his paint. That gave her an idea. Turning sharply again Elita began to drive over the sand, knowing that she'd be kicking up a bunch of it and maybe a few rocks as well. Blind him and chip his pride.
Knockout cursed the Autobot-fem as she took off into the sand. With no other choice he followed, dodging what rocks flew his way in the sandstorm. He couldn't see to aim so he kept firing blindly.
Elita felt three sharp blaster hits connect on her left tire well, blowing out her wheel. Firming, she managed not to flip despite starting to slide to the right and gave the mental impulse to transform. She fell back into her robotic form as it came up around her. The momentum gave her enough of a spin to make her face Knockout as he came out of the dust cloud. To her right hand side, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a ground bridge open up, Optimus rushing out of it, his weapons drawn.
Knockout gave a shout of surprise as he came face to face with a mad Autobot female that was ready to grab a hold of him. Behind her he saw a ground bridge appear and so he sped up. Energy shots were being fired from his left, coming from Optimus Prime as he ran out of another ground bridge. Giving a leap, Knockout transformed into his own robotic form and tackled Elita into the one behind her before it closed.
Optimus skidded to a halt in the sand as the second ground bridge winked out of existence. Not wasting any time he ran back into his own. He needed to plan their course of action.
[Author's Note]
I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS PRIME NOR ANY CHARACTER IN THE SHOW.
Sorry it took so long to get out. Kiddo got a cold and then so did I.