Now no one even looked at Danni. They all knew what she was, and what she wasn't. She was a freak of nature, not meant to even in existence. A few brave ones shot her a glare at times, but when she looked at them, they would scurry away in fear. The Autobots even hated her, and the government. First, they lied to them about the Autobot ship with Sentinel inside, now they had lied to them about taking their comrades bodies and using them for some sick experiment? So many secrets were in this war, in their lives. Everyone hated her, Optimus even sighed when she came near, regretting slightly that he had trusted her, the Humans. Danni felt guilty that he had to be bonded with something as disgusting as herself.
Everyone had settled in their own rooms in the underground base, getting their own rooms, sharing bunks with others. The Autobots even had company of either another Human or another Autobot. Danni had her own small room, the last one, and nobody, Cybertronian or Human, entered there. She was now an official loner, cast away from the world. She came out during the day, barely ate any food in the evening, and went to her room at night, though she didn't sleep. And that was it. Nothing more.
Danni looked down at the mush of food down on her plate, poking it tiredly. She wasn't hungry anymore, she wasn't ever that hungry. Sighing, she rested her chin on the table, staring blankly into space. Optimus watched her from the large doorway, optics narrowing. She had grown thin, extremely thin. Her skin was getting paler and paler each day, no longer the rosy cheeked child he once knew. But, what saddened Optimus the most, was that it was somewhat a special day for her. Her creation day, or as Humans put it, 'birthday'. Though no one knew for sure if this was even the day she was created, but, none the less, it was supposed to be a happy day for her.
No, it was nowhere near happy. She was alone, half starving, and every day was another tragedy. Optimus saw the boy Zane visit her at night, afraid to be next to her during the day because of his so called friends disliking Danni, and telling Zane that they were his friends, she was just a freak. Optimus had overheard one of their conversations about Danni, and would sooner or later have a little chat with those boys. Danni sighed once again, and got up, slowly walking out of the cafeteria. She barely even noticed Optimus at the doorway, just walked past him, eyes glazed over.
Sighing, she down the hall, getting a few glares on the way, but she didn't care. She'd been through a lot, too much for an eleven year old, well, a ten year old who just turned eleven. Slouching over, she stared at the floor, watching as her feet came in and out of view. Closing her eyes, she let a few memories slip out of the vault she had created for them, to keep them away. When she started school, her first best friend, Stephanie. When she got her first bike, how she would ride alongside her so called father. How she was walking along the streets of Chicago with her 'mother' and 'father', how the Decepticons killed them. How her life led her to finding Optimus, the one person who somewhat understood her, accepted her.
Danni stopped in front of her room door, and let it slide open. She walked into the rather dark room, and slowly, plopped down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She just felt so..empty. What was there to live for? She was a weapon of mass destruction, her creator had even said so. She would be better off dead, because if she got into the 'Cons claws and they figure out what made her tick, she could hurt the Autobots. She could hurt Optimus. She would never want to hurt them, even though Dino looked like he wanted to hurt her a lot, she would never dream of hurting any of them.
Narrowing her eyes at the ceiling, she slowly breathed, chest rising and falling with each breath. She felt tired, but she couldn't fall asleep, she never really did. She just thought at night, thought of how messed up things were getting, how everything had changed so quickly, how she now hated change. She would try transforming her arm into a weapon, then back into a hand. Sometimes she would do that the entire night, watching how easily her hand split apart, and formed something so dangerous, so deadly. Her parents had told her never to touch a gun, but the fact was, she was a gun. Kinda ironic if you thought about it.
They told her that killing things was a very thing to do, they told her never to become a cop or be in the military or anything dangerous like that. She thought back then that they were just worried for her safety, and of course, she promised. But now she knew why. If she got too riled up, or got hurt in some way, people would find out she wasn't Human, and turn to the government, the Autobots for an explanation of what she was. Danni knew they were worried for her as well. She would be sent to some scientist for study, and they would probably dissect her, looking through her guts. She shuddered at the thought of being cut open. She never really trusted doctors, Ratchet was just an exception. Doctors were too nice and clean smelling, there had to be something wrong with them, and she never ever trusted one. Hook especially.
Bringing her hand up into view, she looked it over, and switched it into a gun, then back. Bringing up her other hand, she switched it into a blade, then back. It felt weird, feeling them change like that. It felt numb as it broke apart, then she felt her gun as it formed. She never actually fired on her own will, only when Hook had been testing her weapons. She wondered if Ratchet could do that. Probably not, he didn't have the technology or anything. But he could build it…..She thought.
Would the Autobots use her as their own weapon? Of course not, their your friends! A voice said in the back of her head. But, if Ratchet could create something similar to Hooks machine, would they? Another countered. Were they really her friends? Most seemed to really hate her right now, all except Bumblebee and Optimus. It scared her to think they would jump at the chance to get revenge on the Decepticons, using her as their secret weapon. So, she was an ultimate danger on both sides, Autobot and Decepticon alike. But Optimus would surely not allow such a thing, right? He believed freedom was the right of every sentient being, he saw beauty in all life. But, to win the war, would he do such a thing. Yeah, Danni wanted to help, but she didn't want to be some mindless weapon. It kind of reminded of one of those remote controlled toy robots, but in a crueler way. With something that had feelings, some that could hurt,
Something that could die.
They wouldn't, no, couldn't be as cruel as the Decepticons. They liked Humans. But wait, she wasn't Human. So, did that mean they didn't want her, or they somewhat liked her? Right now in the chart of love and hate, she was tipping onto each side. On one hand, she helped Ratchet out on stuff still, though he was always a bit wary of her presence. She often watched the Wreckers tussle, and although she did have some strength, she was still half Human, and still pretty fragile compared to the rest. Sideswipe seemed pretty cool with her being all half robot and stuff, but Sunstreaker thought otherwise, walking away whenever Danni came by Sideswipe for whatever reason.
Rolling onto her side, Danni now stared at the wall. She would always switch sides on what she was looking at, getting bored of one thing and looking at the next. A knock on her door made her jump out of her bed, weapons out as she looked around, eyes wide and breath quick. But, as the door slid open, she sighed in relief. Only Optimus. The mech looked down at her. "You're just as bad as Ironhide." He mused, thinking slightly about his fallen comrade. He shook off the thought, and bent down in front of the saddened child. "I know this is a..special day for you-"
Danni crossed her arms, looking away from him. "You don't even know if it's the real thing…" She grumbled under her breathe. Optimus looked down at her sternly, and gently nudged her in stomach, causing her to stumble over a bit.
"If it is, or if it isn't, I will not allow you to lay here all alone in the dark." He said, and before Danni could protest, picked her up in his palm, walking out of the room and into the hallway. Danni looked down, trying to see if she could jump and still live. But Optimus was at least 45 feet tall, no way could she try to escape and live. Sighing, she plopped herself down in the palm, placing her head on top of her knees, eyes looking forwards. No use in struggling now, the Prime seemed determined to celebrate her birthday, and was forcing her to too. It might not have been fair, but how were you to argue with a giant who could squish you like a bug. Sure, since she was a techno-organic some considered her somewhat invincible, but she was still partially Human, and if someone happened to step on her, that would be the end of that.
Danni watched as Optimus turned several corners, nodding to several soldiers in the process, and halted at a door. Danni knew this door, it was his door, the door that led into Optimus' quarters. No one, and she meant NO ONE, had really ever entered the mechs new quarters yet. The door slide open, and Danni looked around in amazement. Medals, trophies, awards, every single achievement anyone could think of, was all hoarded in his room. Where had he stashed all this stuff in the old base? There was just too much of it! Optimus quietly entered, the door sliding shut behind him, and set Danni down on his berth, going over to some sort of closet.
Danni watched curiously as he picked through things, trying to find something. Optimus stopped, and turned back towards her, something in his servos. The mech walked towards her bending down to come optic level with her. Uncovering the thing under his servos , Danni's eyes widened in wonder. It was a small shard, small, blue and glowing. It looked like a crystal broken off of something, mixed with a piece of metal. All in all, it was extremely beautiful. Optimus carefully let the object fall into Danni's own hands, and she examined it carefully. It felt like it was, alive. "I have been waiting for someone special to give this to." Danni looked up at Optimus. "It is, very important to me, to the Autobots…"
Danni looked back down at the shard, and back at Optimus. "What is it?"
"It is, the last remaining shard of the Allspark…" Optimus said, sounding distant. Danni's mouth was left agape, looking at the shard in her quivering hands. This was the…Allspark? The thing that had brought life to their planet? The thing that had caused their war to come to Earth? Why would Optimus give it to her, if it was that important? "I trust you Danni, and I know you will protect it." Danni looked up at him once more, nodding slightly. Now she knew he was serious. Well, he was always serious. But this was such a big responsibility, and really, really, REALLY big responsibility, and he had put it in the hands of a child.
"Optimus…I…I don't know what to say…I…" Danni couldn't find the words to describe what she felt. The mech simply smiled at her, nodding. Danni slowly got up, and walked towards him, placing her head on his helm. Optimus looked at the young Human, blinking as she closed her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered. "For everything." Those two words, "Thank you", put her thanks to him for saving her life when they had first met, comforting her when she had nightmares, helping her through the trauma Skywarp had left on her, saving her from the Decepticons, accepting her when others shunned her away for being a Techno-Organic, for right now.
Optimus brought up his servo, wrapping his fingers over her small form protectively. "All's well little one, all's well." He said quietly, his grip tightening ever so slightly. Danni sniffled, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn't thank him enough, for all he had done and all he would do for her, for Humanity, for Earth. He had saved her race so many times, and she didn't even know it. He didn't know how thankful she was, how grateful for him. She let only a small tear fall down her cheek, trying hard not to let it all fall down, causing the water works. They stayed like that, head against helm, for a few moments more.
Danni opened her eyes slowly, watching as Optimus' own flickered slightly. She brought her head away only a little, looking at the scratches on his blue head. There were so many, each a scar a different story of how he had fought against the Decepticons, how he had fought for them. Optimus was the most amazing, sincere, kind person anyone could ever meet. He had a least tried to celebrate her birthday, and though she didn't ask for it, it made her feel good. He had tried, and that was all she asked for. It didn't matter that he couldn't give her an actual birthday, or that he didn't barley know what a birthday was, it just mattered that he had cared enough to do something.
All that mattered to her right now, was that they were together, and no one could part them.