Chapter 2
Peaches finally stopped chasing after the two vehicles when she got the confirmation that they were Cybertronians; both transformed into their robots. One was a 'Con but it wasn't that weird that he turned into a ground based vehicle; after all, Sideways and Barricade had land-based alternate modes as well. The other was a blue Autobot who had a bit of gold on her as well.
Peaches immediately hid behind a large boulder, deciding to only watch the battle until the Autobot femme needed assistance, and that was the case for the next 15 minutes. The Pretender had nearly finished her first piece of Ring Pop when she saw the blue 'bot get knocked to the ground.
"Face it Arcee, girls just aren't meant to do a guy's job." The 'con said.
"Oh, that's it!" the Pretender said out loud. She then transformed into her robot mode and snuck up on the reddish colored Decepticon. She kicked him between the legs and the 'con started screaming like a little girl.
"You'd think a sexist jerk like yourself would still know that everyone else knows that no matter what the species, between the legs is one of a guy's weakest spots." Peaches stated smugly. She then dodged a punch thrown at her.
"Who do you think you are?" the 'con asked.
"I'm your worst nightmare." Peaches announced, as she continued fighting him, eventually winning, as this 'con, who she later found out was called Knockout, did live up to his name as he was now unconscious.
Arcee got up and started smiling at her unexpected rescuer. "Thanks for the help."
"I'll do anything for another Autobot." The orange and red femme brushed some dirt off of her legs and then announced. "My name's Peaches and please don't laugh, everyone else I know already has when I first met them."
Arcee shook Peaches' hand and then groaned; she had gotten a few dents in her helm.
"So, where's your team? I have a lot to explain and you need medical attention." The Pretender said nervously. She was excited at the same time and wondering if she would meet anyone else with the same name(s) as some of her teammates back home…
In Autobot HQ, Ratchet got a strange message from Arcee; she needed a ground-bridge ASAP and what was she supposed to do with the unconscious 'con her rescuer had defeated?
"Leave him there; the other 'cons will find him eventually if they care enough to." The medic replied. "I'd like to meet your 'rescuer' and find out more about where she's from."
Optimus Prime then threw the switch to activate the ground-bridge and Arcee walked in with an orange and red Cybertronian femme. The mysterious Autobot looked like a human girl the way her form was with a "ponytail" on top of her head and was trying to keep herself focused on not being nervous. Ratchet immediately took Arcee away to treat her and the orange and red femme was trying to not be tempted to go and hide behind the sofa.
"It is all right friend. We know you mean no harm to us." Optimus said reassuringly. "I am Optimus Prime."
"I'm Peaches." The femme said.
The Autobot leader and the Pretender heard several people laughing, that was Bulkhead, Jack, Raf, and Miko. Bumblebee wasn't laughing but he had fallen onto the floor and was doing the motion of rolling on the floor laughing out loud.
"It's not funny!" Peaches screamed.
"Sorry-wait, are you the same Peaches I ran into before" Raf asked.
"Yes Raf, I am. Here, I'll show you guys."
The orange and red Pretender transformed into her human form, astonishing the humans and Autobots in the room.
"Whoa! That is awesome!" Miko shouted.
"Weird." Jack muttered.
"You're a Pretender?" Bulkhead was so astonished that his jaw dropped after he asked this question.
"Well, yes. I can explain everything." Peaches answered. She then began telling her story; how she had found out who she really was, joining the Autobots in her universe, becoming the sparkmate of an ex-Decepticon, adopting a human child and having a sparkling, and how she had wound up there.
"Why'd you help Arcee even though it wasn't your fight?" Jack wanted to know.
"I can't stand to see anybody being bullied, especially by the enemy and that sexist afthole got what he deserved." The Pretender answered the 16 year old boy. "Also, I'm a bit of feminist sometimes." She then began explaining who here had a counterpart in her universe and that she was slightly disappointed that Bulkhead did not.
"That's ridiculous." Ratchet stated as he walked back into the main room. He and Arcee had heard what was being said. "I don't believe it."
Peaches looked stunned. "Optimus, do you believe me?"
"I do believe your story Peaches, and I know that you were not lying." Optimus Prime replied. "We will do what we can to get you back home although that might not be possible to accomplish in a short amount of time."
"Well, Wheeljack will figure something out; he got me here, he can get me back." Peaches sighed.
"Wait, my best buddy Wheeljack has a counterpart too?" Bulkhead asked.
"Yeah; the Wheeljack I know is a scientist." The Pretender began telling the green Autobot all about it…
(Back in the movie universe)
Sideways put Abby and Crystal to bed and then looked towards the empty space on the berth where Peaches would normally be. It was weird recharging without her as he hadn't done it in so long, except for maybe a few times for maybe a night or two, the longest being the week that she had gone to help survivors of one of the tornado outbreaks in the U.S. this year. This time there was no telling how long it was going to be. He went to sit out on the beach, leaving his human friend Ashley to watch the two girls while he sat out there for a few minutes.
"If they ever find out where you are and bring you home, I'll never joke about tragedies that sound like horror movies again." He promised out loud. "Can't believe this is happening…damn it, I feel like singing a Disney song; I just hope no one hears me."
Sideways began singing, not that horribly but he still hoped that no one else on base would hear him.
Come out moon, come out wishing star
Come out, come out, wherever you are
I'm out here in the dark all alone and wide awake, come and find me
I'm empty and I'm cold and my spark's about to break, come and find me
I need you to come here and find me 'cause without you I'm totally lost
I've hung a wish on every star
It hasn't done much good so far and I can only dream of you
Wherever you are
The ex-Con started thinking of whe he had told Peaches some jokes that she loved and her laughing. Then her smiling when she got her birthday present and hugging him so tightly he thought she'd crush him Sideways loved the Pretender the best when she was like that but was there for her in the tough times as well.
I'll hear you laugh, I'll see you smile and I'll be with you, just for a while
but when the morning comes and the sun begins to rise, I will lose you
I'll find it's all a dream and when I open up my eyes I will lose you
I used to believe in forever but forever's too good to be true
I've hung a wish on every star
It hasn't done much good so far and I don't know what else to do
except to try to dream of you
I wonder if you're dreaming too.
Wherever you are
Wherever you are
Sideways noticed Optimus Prime walking up to him. The Autobot leader put a hand on the ex-Decepticon's shoulder. "We will find Peaches, Sideways. Do not lose hope just yet."
"I know but I can't help it." Sideways replied sighing. "It's just the feeling so terrible that I don't have any idea of how long it's going to take to get to where she is."
"There is good news; Wheeljack has narrowed the search to a slightly smaller number of places that she could be." The Autobot leader explained. "There are still a lot of places to look but we will get to Peaches."
(Back in the Transformers Prime universe)
"Gentlemen, we will get to this mysterious Transformer."
Silas had just viewed a video that one of his men had taken of the scene where Peaches had helped Arcee. The video even showed her transforming from human form to robot mode.
'Are you sure you're going to have some kind of use for her?" one of the guys asked.
"I've already got a few ideas and very good ones." the MECH commander said with an evil smile on his face. He then turned to the guy who had asked him the question "You, get me some more decaf coffee! I'll need all the help that I can get to go to sleep tonight before we put these plans into action."
In the Autobot base, it was announced that Arcee would be fine but would have to stay in the medbay for observation that night. Peaches volunteered to go with Jack to his new home to keep an eye on him and his mother.
"Don't worry; my mom knows about the Autobots and she won't freak out too much. I hope." the 16 year old said.
That wasn't very reassuring to Peaches. She knew she wanted to go home right then and there but the Autobots and their human allies here needed her help more since she was there to give it to them. As was said on a Star Trek episode that she had once watched with her human parents "the needs of many outweigh the needs of a few".
Remembering this, Peaches knew that she could make the best of a bad situation as Bumblebee drove her and Jack to a house way outside of the town of Jasper before taking Raf home. Now if only she wasn't so nervous about meeting Mrs. Darby...