Transformers Galaxy Force: Thunder Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

Chapter 68

"So, how do you feel?" Lori asked as she continued to drive.

"Sore and bone tired," Coby answered. "But that's no surprise. My body will still be healing for weeks."

"Understandable, seeing as you only just recently healed enough to switch to Human form," Lori remarked. "How are Bud and Naomi?"

"Going through with their punishment," Coby smirked. "Autovolt is making them wash the entire jet catapult by hand. Granted, if they had gone to court for what they did, they would have been given community service hours as a punishment anyway. Autovolt reckons it will take them just as long to wash the catapult, so they should be done in a week. The Microns are still in intensive care though. The ice was murder on their systems."

Lori nodded, "Their lucky they're alive, even if they are in stasis. Excited to go home?"

Coby grinned broader, "Home is where the heart is, and my heart is with you." This made Lori smirk as her cheeks gained a red tint.

Emily sat in the back, watching the interaction between the two. It seems that the two of them are in love, in a way that is impossible to comprehend with logic. Perhaps I really don't have a chance with Coby-kun. But I still wish to know what the extent of their relationship is. An idea came to her and she found herself grinning. She had done some research on humor, but she was having trouble grasping the concept. She had a good idea that if she could pull what she was planning, it would help her understand.

All she needed was the right opportunity, and unfortunately, this wasn't the time or place. It was almost painfully obvious that whatever relationship they had, they kept it a closely guarded secret, and logically, secrets were not meant to be exposed or discussed in front of anyone who didn't already know.

"We're here," Lori announced as she pulled into the driveway of Coby's home. Then her face fell. "Oh hell."

Coby panicked and ducked down, hands covering his head, "Hide me!"

"What's wrong?" Emily asked.

Lori pointed to the figure on the porch. It was a young woman with brown hair and dark eyes, and dressed in an immodest fashion. Her tank top was strapless, exposed her midriff, and seemed to be close to ripping under the strain of what Emily could swear were implants, though why a woman would do such a thing just for bigger breasts were beyond her. Then again, she was a Xian, so she didn't understand a great deal about Human attraction. The figure was also wearing a very short skirt, so short that Emily could have sworn it was illegal to wear it as it was Indecent Public Exposure. "Her name is Vanessa James," Lori said. "She's been trying to steal Coby from me for two years."

Emily nodded. At least I now know that Lori and Coby are courting. Perhaps they are joined. I will have to continue looking into this.

"Coooby-kuuun!" Vanessa said in a sing-song voice as she walked up to the vehicle. "Come give your girlfriend a kiss, please?"

Knowing he wasn't going to get out of this, Coby sighed and sat up. Emily decided to try and help her friends and said, "She asked you to give your girlfriend a kiss. Shouldn't you comply?" Coby and Lori turned to look at the Xian in amazement for a moment, and then complied, kissing lovingly.

Vanessa was livid and yanked open the driver's side door, "Bitch! Get off my boyfriend!" She grabbed Lori by the shoulders and yanked her out, throwing her to the ground. Emily climbed out to help her up, but Lori calmly rose and smiled.

"Don't worry about me, Emily. I'm fine. Vanessa can't hurt me, and she can only shove me around because I let her."

"Nice bluff, Cyber-slave," Vanessa said. "I can own your ass and you know it."

"Funny," Lori said, "Every fight we've been in has always ended with me as the victor."

"That's because you seduce Coby-kun into helping," Vanessa pouted, and then turned back to her target, who was still in the car. "Coby-kun, I have something you want." She leaned forward, very far forward.

Coby already had his eyes upward. While the sight of Vanessa never turned him on – it turned him off in fact – he was still young, and did not want to be blindsided by any hormones. Many of his friends drooled over Vanessa's body. He, however, hated the sight. "I want my bed."

"Ooooooo, so tempting," Vanessa teased. "Of course I'll sleep with you."

"I do not believe that was what Coby meant," Emily said.

"It wasn't," Lori said. "Vanessa's just a bitchy slut."

"I'm not a bitch!" Vanessa yelled, turning and marching up to Lori. "And you only call me a slut because you're jealous of my obvious physical advantage over you, Flat-chest."

Vanessa had struck a nerve, and paid dearly for it. During her Junior High years, Lori didn't develop well physically. She seemed to grow in awkward ways, the rest of her body growing before her standard womanly assets. During that time, others were ruthless in teasing her that she had no figure, and Vanessa was one of them. Thankfully, Coby was her friend and helped her through those years. Later, Lori filled out into the womanly figure she had now, realizing that what she went through before was her body preparing to support her new figure, like a person's feet growing bigger before they grow taller to provide balance for the new height. Unfortunately, the scars and memories of that time still remained, and Vanessa had reopened one she opened often. As a result, Lori slammed her fist directly into Vanessa's gut. The over-feminine woman doubled over in pain, just as Coby's father came out of the house.

"Listen, Young Lady," he yelled at Vanessa, "If you came to pick a fight with our guests you can just go strait on home!"

Vanessa shot a glare at Mr. Hanson, who wasn't fazed, before turning to Coby, who had finally gotten out of the car. "I'll come back tomorrow, my love," she said before leaving.

Coby sighed, "I'm so staying at Earthfall for the next week." He started for the door, his legs still shaking due to the aftershock pain of his previous injuries. Lori quickly moved over to help him. "I swear you're going to kill her one of these days," he chuckled.

"Nah, she's not worth it," Lori shook her head.

"It would rid the galaxy of an unnecessary evil," Emily stated. At first, Coby and Lori thought she was joking. Then they saw the expression on her face.

"Emily, are you all right?" Coby asked. "The last thing we need is you blowing up the house."

"I am fine," Emily said as she took some calming breaths. "Coby, can you teach me how to control my powers."

"I can try," he nodded. "I'm not sure how, though. I just do it by instinct. Right now though, instinct is telling me to go inside."

Emily nodded, "A good idea, Coby-sensei."

His father laughed and led them inside. He shook Emily's hand, "It's nice to meet another Terraformer that isn't my son."

Coby-sensei's father is kind, I believe I can trust him, Emily thought.

"Unka Coby!" squealed a voice.

"Oh no!" Coby said, shutting his eyes and bracing himself as his 15-month old nephew barreled into him. He winced in pain, "Hello, Trev." Fifteen months old, the intellect of a two year old, can't walk yet, and yet he has the power of a Line Defenseman in football.

"Trevor Hanson!" Trevor's mother, Shila, scolded as she pulled him off her younger brother-in-law. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Coby said, still hurting, but unharmed. "Is Tim here too?"

"Of course they are, why wouldn't they be?" his father laughed.

At that point, Tim came into the room and asked, "Lori, what's your mother's cell phone? I want to help her and my mom with the cake."

Coby's eyes widened in sudden understanding. Shit! My birthday is the end of this week! Suddenly, he felt twice as tired as he did before. Lori gave Tim the number before helping Coby upstairs to his room so he could sleep.

"What's going on?" Emily asked.

"Coby's birthday is the end of this week," Shila explained to her, still holding her son.

Emily smiled. Perfect!