Wooee!! Excitement's building, and the suspense just keeps a'comin'! As Swindle would say, "I could spring a leak, I'm so excited!"
"Pre10Arak476, copy?" The voice crackled in the young woman's ear communications.
"Affirmative." She replied. Thank Unicron no organic or living creature was near. She was deep in a forest near an abandoned cave the inferior organics call a mine where the faded scent of robotic energy was here. It's a good hideout: excellent communications, undetected secrecy, impossible mazes, and other things.
"Any sign of the escaped prisoners?"
"Negative, but I managed to trace one of them." She stared out into the horizontal distance, in the direction of the city.
"One of the Animechs?"
"Negative, but it's Experisoner #742." She heard a faint gasp on the other line. She smirked; she loves it when she has the best prize.
"Where is she?! There's a huge bounty—"
"Not yet!" She snapped. She hates it when others are so quick, so stupid. "Think, you slaggin' idiot! If we capture her now, we'll hardly find the other prisoners. And if we catch them one at a time, the price is still the same!"
"So....what do you suggest?"
"Find them all, uncover their weaknesses, and my resources tell me that there are more prizes on this planet. I'll send the location here to you for you to alert the others.
"Oh, and one more thing..."
"What?" The voice was eager, wanting more. She really likes that.
"Test Experisoner #742, but I and I alone will deal with her myself." The line was then disconnected. The young woman thought of her plan carefully; there must be no mistake, no detail, large or small, shall go unnoticed.
Revenge shall be spicy cold and sweet.
-At the Autobot base-
"So, lemme get this straight..." Cosette started. "Several years ago, Professor Sumdac found a liquid metal body—a protoform, a Cybertronian child—" She gestured to the Autobots before continuing. "—In his lab. He touched it and part of his DNA merged with the Cybertronian circuitry/DNA, and you—" She pointed to Sari, "—were born."
"Yeah, you got it right so far."
They had spent some time at the base explaining their lives and Sari's existence to Cosette. She was eager to learn about this new race and asked some questions regarding to their economy and such. They had planned that they would have another sleepover as they used to, but this time Cosette is there. Bumblebee will help the girls later on with their stuff. It will be another "nonstop party" as Bumblebee had put it.
"Does that make you guys relatives?" Cosette asked Sari. She finds that the idea that having a robotic human for a sister is really exhilarating (it was the best word she could think of), and already she was curious.
"It seems likely," Sari answered, "although Prowl said that it is unclear to how I got there."
Cosette suddenly realized she had forgotten something. "Oh, by the way, my name's Cosette," she introduced to the Autobots. She knows most of their names earlier by good guesswork, but it seems more polite if they say them themselves.
As they introduced themselves, Cosette felt relief that the thing inside her had gone back to sleep. She doesn't want others to know her real self or her past just when they were getting to know her.
Maybe, just maybe, she might have a chance.
-Several hours later-
The moon shone brightly through the clouds, as though its shady pureness cannot be distinguished. The fall wind whistled through the air, cutting through cloth and fur to touch the skin of individuals. Cosette wished not for the first time that she had brought her sweater.
Earlier that night Cosette sneaked out of the base when she was sure some of the Autobots and Sari were deep asleep. Those that weren't were on patrol and won't be back at said base until morning. It should provide her enough time to go to the forest and back.
When she realized that said forest was a few miles behind the base, Cosette was relieved that she didn't have to use alleyways in the city. She doesn't want to run into street gangs, the patrolling Autobots, police—In general, she doesn't want to run into trouble.
Already memories of the forest dream she had a few days ago flashed across her vision as she trekked. She recalled the chaotic rush as she was escaping the terror of Them, and the joy of finding refuge at the city. Next thing she knew, she had awakened in the Academy with a throbbing headache. When one of the workers explained how she had got there, Cosette pieced together what might had happened: she was so overjoyed to find a place she didn't see where she was going and thus slipped on some loose pebbles caused by the early drizzle. She had tumbled down like a loose boulder and lost consciousness. Several hours later a passerby walking her dog noticed an odd shape at the foot of the hill. When she realized it was a person she punched in 911, and the Academy took in the unknown and unconscious girl. Then—
Cosette halted her train of monthly memories when she realized she was there: a large clearing in the middle of the forest. It was large enough for some of the Autobots to camp here. Cosette remembered the dream this morning, feeling a warm sense of home. She knew she came from Algonquin in Canada as it had said in the picture. She would love to see autumn in its vibrant colours and crispness there. Maybe she could—
Suddenly something snapped Cosette from her daydreaming, bringing her senses to become alert. Nothing was heard except the distant sirens and the nightly birds. Then sounds of branches snapping and trees rustling off keyed the silent chorus. Clashing of mechanic materials and unnatural growls whirled around the teen, adding the terror of the night. She could sometimes see dark shapes swirling and blending with the forest, undistinguished and unknown.
Then, as it had started, the noises stopped. Not a breeze stirred.
"Who dares enter my domain?" an eerie voice asked, young but mysterious.
Cosette rolled her eyes, slightly smirking. "Cheetor, you know that doesn't work around me." She wasn't sure, but she might have heard something that sounds like "Lagit!"
Without warning, something large swooped in from behind her. "Reveal thy name, morsel," a voice hissed.
Cosette spun around, staring face-to-face with a shadowed bat; her optics (she learned that robot eyes are called optics) were shades of dark blue with slight brilliant red, and held a familiarity Cosette knows too well and missed.
"Nyghtwing!" She clasped her arms around her best friend's neck, feeling fuzzy fur mingling with hard metal. At the same time the big bat wrapped her wings around the human, not only sensing that she was cold but to hug her back. She, like the human, missed her.
"Hey! What are we, moss on trees? What about us, eh?" Another voice called out. Cosette could see three figures ranging in height. The biggest one was glaring at the smallest. "I know, I know," the voice stated. "'Shut up, Rattrap.'"
Letting go of Nyghtwing's neck, Cosette loped to the trio, ignoring the sudden cold as she greeted her long-lost friends: "Rhinox, Rattrap, Cheetor!"
The three figures bounded into the clearing, revealing a large rhino, an unusual huge fat rat, and a powerful yet playful cheetah.
"I missed you guys so much!" Cosette cried as she hugged each one individually, though Rattrap doesn't want to be squeezed like a plush toy. And it was true; she hadn't seen them in months with all her schoolwork and adoptions. Each passing day was a painful ache that cannot be relieved by normal medicine.
"We missed you too, M'lady," Rhinox gently chided, cautious of his huge head.
"How's my favourite fugitive?" Cheetor commented playfully. "How's the city?"
"Are there any good food?" The last question was inquired by an eager Rattrap, though his answer was glares from a rhino and a bat. "What? It doesn't hurt to ask!"
Cosette giggled giddily while Cheetor snickered, having missed Rattrap's unfortunate demises. Heck, she missed them all. Their reunion was like long lost family becoming one. Speaking of families...
"Hey, guys, I have something important to tell you," she started.
"We have something important to tell you, too" Rhinox gazed at his M'lady, his pale blue optics slightly showing urgency and sadness. "You first, though."
Cosette paused. It seemed alright to tell about several minutes ago but now she wasn't sure. But, they're her friends, and they're escaping from the same enemies! "I...I've met some Autobots."
A deep silence spread throughout the group, with only the nightly songs continuing in the darkness.
"You...you've met some Autobots?" The first to slice the stillness was Cheetor; a stunned yet curious look came across his face.
Cosette nodded, then she continued, "They're friends and protectors of the citizens here, and they're sort of family to my foster sister."
"How could an organic be related to a machine?" Rhinox wondered aloud.
"After I plan to introduce you guys to them, we'll—" Cosette was about to explain until a rat, ever the pessimist, exploded in: "Oh, no, no way! There ain't no way I'm getting my pelt punctured by humans and robots!"
"It's worth a try," Cheetor defended. "If M'lady trusts them, then we'll meet them. Sooner or later."
"Cheetor and M'lady are right," Rhinox intervened before an unnecessary fight breaks out. "It doesn't hurt to try, and we'll need all the help we can get," he directed to Rattrap who was muttering, but goes with the wishes of his friend and comrade.
"But Rattrap speaks true a little," the large rhino continued, directly at his M'lady. "Will the Autobots and humans accept us?"
"Well, if any of them happens to try and harm a hair of M'lady," started Nyghtwing, who was deathly silent up till now, "I'll smack them so hard they'll need a GPS to find their processors!"
The comment resulted in an outburst of merry laughter among the group; not having to laugh like this in a really long time.
"Now, what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Cosette sobered as she asked Rhinox.
"I believe...it is best at another time," Rhinox stated. "It's late, and you're tired."
Cosette was about to deny it but a huge yawn escaped. Leave it to bodily needs to betray the person.
"C'mon, I'll take you," Nyghtwing offered. "Besides the fact that you're tired, we haven't done this in such a long time."
Cosette mumbled an agreement as she hoisted herself on the large bat, Cheetor giving her a boast.
"And don't worry; I know where you're supposed to be and I'll keep myself hidden," Nyghtwing reassured M'lady and Rhinox. "We Crofs have mysterious ways."
"And, the fact that you can telepathy with any living object, be it human or robot, you come in contact with," Rattrap stated. Nyghtwing seemed to have pretended she haven't heard that, though her processor was running ideas on how to torture the rodent in the most excruciating ways possible.
"See you soon, M'lady," Rhinox murmured.
Cosette was about to ask how the others will manage had not the temptation of sleep overcame her. She felt her friend's fur rustle as she soared before peaceful darkness came. She welcomed it with open arms.
Had she or the Crofs been more alert, they would have noticed brilliant red glaring optics in the trees behind them. It took notice of where Animech #341 had taken Experisoner #742 and at the same time punched in the code to alert one of the greatest experiment/soldiers the galaxies have ever known.
Oh-Eem-Gee. That has got to be one of the longest chapter I did. O__o And yes, I know, the reunion was weak. More OCs and Transformers characters are coming, some that have major impact in the story. In the meantime, check out Dragga in deviantart, he's the one who will show the BW characters in Animated form. He's also a really great artist! Nyghtwing's in my gallery in case you want to see her. Don't worry, she won't bite...much...
For those that seen the Revenge of the Fallen, can you guess who/what was in the conversation that was at the beginning? Can you guess what creature was at the end? Can anyone guess what's my favourite pie? O_o OK, cross the last one, it was random.
Random Blitzwing: Oh! Did someone call my name?
Me: Where the hell did you come from?