HI! Here is the next chapter. And summer. Summer is also good!
A special thank you to my editor and to Fubeck my idea bouncer. Thank you all for the favs, follows, and reviews!
Tootals!
The school day had been normal enough, only interrupted by odd stares from Jack. Several times it seems to Raf that the older boy is going to approach him, but then changes his mind. Not that Raf felt like talking to the older boy who seems to be in denial of how cool it is that giant robots were running around in disguise. Raf silently shifts in his chair, eagerly awaiting the final bell. Anticipation builds in his stomach. Raf suspects it is the knowledge that a secret group of robots would probably try to get in contact with those who were not supposed to know about them. Quietly, Raf hopes they will not kill him or send him off somewhere to keep him quiet. At last the final bell screams out, issuing the command that raises hundreds of students from their chairs. Noise explodes in the hallway as most of the student body tries to leave simultaneously.
Raf straggles behind, not eager to join the rushing rapids that the halls had become. Silently, he waits for the steady flow to turn into a slow trickle. Raf then exits the building, sticking to back of the crowd. Raf walks over to a tree, standing quietly beneath it. He turns back to the school in time to see Jack exiting the building. Internally,Raf realizes that, yes, he does want to talk to someone else about the giant talking robots, if only to reaffirm their realness. Slowly, Jack walks over to Raf, giving a small, nervous wave.
"Raf. Hey.."
The older boy fidgets and rubs the back of his neck.
"Look. Let's just keep this between us and forget anything ever happened, okay?"
A double beep captures both boys attention. Raf tugs on Jack's sleeve calling his name softly. The yellow Camaro from yesterday drives up to the curb that is near the tree, making JAck groan lightly in horror.
"Oh no. Not again!"
The car slowly opens it's door, beeping as the two boys stared at the interior.
"Please get in brown haired kid."
"It wants us to get in."
"No, just me."
Raf replies shaking his head slightly.
"How do you know that?"
Raf looks at with a bit of surprise. The yellow car was being perfectly clear. Unless there was some sort of difference in what they were hearing?But why?
"It said so."
"What!"
Jack yells out, surprised. Raf patiently points to the blue motorcycle.
"Yours is over there."
Looking over at the vehicle, Jack starts talking. Raf ignores him in favor of walking over to the car.
"Hey! How's it going?"
Raf steps in, sitting down in the black seat. After he is secure, the Camaro drives off. He carefully places his bag onto the floor in between his feet. Silently he glances around the vehicle, the awkwardness becoming heavy in the air. All at once he wishes that Hack was here, just as someone comforting and familiar. Quite suddenly the car starts beeping, rushing with its words.
"Hi I'm Bumblebee, though you probably can't understand this. I am so so sorry about the toy car. I totally wrecked it."
"It's fine. A friend of mine and I are planning on rebuilding it. My name's Raf."
The car jerks to a stop. Raf gasps in pain as he slams against the taut seat belt. Coughing harshly, Raf tries to regain his breath, only increasing the pain in his chest. Slowly he leans back, gently rubbing the area that hurt as his coughing died. He glances around the interior and exterior of the Camaro to try and figure out a possible reason for their sudden halt. A glance a the driver's wheel stops his search in its tracks. The symbol there is far too similar to the one on the DS Hack gave him. Thousand of questions buzz through his head.
The car seems to be sputtering with its beep, surprise leaking through heavily.
"You understand me? You know exactly what I'm saying?"
The two questions breaks through Rafs flood of thoughts like a Mastercraft at top speed. Confusion follows in the wake of this.
'Huh?'
"Of course I understand you. Your speaking English, right? With a few beeps leaking through. So where are we going Bumblebee?"
The car slowly starts again seeming to shakes of its shock.
"We're going back to the Autobot base."
"Autobot? What does that mean?"
"Well that is the name of our team. Optimus Prime our leader will be explaining all this. I can't do it as well as he can."
"Oh…"
A silence falls between the two, filled with awkwardness. Raf grins and lets loose a soft laugh. This reminds him too strongly of his first meeting with Hack. Seeing as the other boy isn't here, Raf decides to break the silence himself.
"Do you play videogames?"
The car, er, Bumblebee, seems to think the question over.
"I have played a few racing games."
"Those types are fun, especially against someone else. You are probably really good at them, since you are a car."
"Yeah that does give me an advantage."
"I have a racing game I can bring the next time. A friend and I play it alot. That is, if there is a next time."
"There most definitely will be a next time."
Raf nods and starts organizing the thoughts in his head. Riding inside a giant robot that can transform in and out of a car mode tends to scramble one's mind. Questions dance around, hoping for center stage on his tongue. Carefully he chooses one. Hesitantly he speaks it aloud, slightly fearful of offending the much larger being.
"What kind of energy do you run on? Normal gas and electricity do not seem like they would work."
"Umm… Energon."
"Energon? I have never heard of that before. How is it made?"
"I'm not even sure if it is made. I'm just a scout. I don't normally deal with the science parts."
"So what does a scout do?"
-Bumblebee, Autobot-
Bumblebee feels his discomfort with having a human with him fading. The topic of conversation had finally spun into a direction he could confidently speak about.
"I look ahead for danger and target points."
"So you help keep everyone safe?"
Bumblebee pauses for a second, thinking about it.
"Yes."
A moment later a large plateau appears in front of them. Driving off the road, Bumblebee starts going faster towards it. The human, Raf, stares at the giant rock looming closer and closer. Fear and excitement make him shift on the seat; his hands gently curl around the seat edges. When the wall breaks apart the small boy lets out a sound of amazement and relief.
-Raf, human-
'How did they do that? Wonder if me and Hack could figure it out. Hack probably could do it on his own.'
Quickly they drive down a long entrance driveway, slowing down only when they enter a large room. A large red and white robot looks down at them. Aggravation failingly hides in in his light blue….eyes? Raf is unsure if the names that humans called body parts would apply to these giant robots. Leaping out from the yellow car when it stops, Raf spots yet another robot and human. The human is a teen female with dual colored hair. She starts talking really quickly to the other robot, who is bigger than the others and green. All Raf could discern from her talking is that her name is Miko. Her energy kind of scares Raf. Quietly he moves away from the excited girl. The giant green robot seems a little thrown off by Miko's questioning, which reminds Raf of his own questions.
The red and white robot makes a snortlike sound, rolling it's eyes.
"Oh, please."
Loud footsteps from behind draw the attention of all the humans. Turning quickly Raf sees a giant red and blue robot that is taller than the rest.
"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron also known as Autobots.
Jack walks forward, staring upwards.
"Then why are you here?"
"To protect your planet from the Decepticons."
'Decepticons? So these beings have two sides, who are most likely battling each other on our planet. Hack probably has some clue that this is going on. It must be somewhere within the government records that these beings exist and Hack had gone through most of the government's records. Though, if he did, why did he not tell me? The same reason I have for not telling him? To keep him safe? Whatever this turns into I hope he stays safe.'
Raf's thoughts whirl through his head, causing him to miss Arcee talking. He leaps back into reality when Jack speaks again.
"Okay, why are they here?"
'That's a fair question.'
Optimus leans down, creating what Raf had just thought. Quietly, Raf listens to Optimus explain the reason for the Decepticons presence. Raf feels a question bubble up and he lets it free.
"Why were you fighting a war?"
Listening intently, Raf stares in wonder at Optimus Prime as he speaks. (I'm not writing that speech. Sorry…)
-Soundwave, Decepticon -
Finally Megatron is returning. The deep space signal that Soundwave had found had indeed been his leader calling for a space bridge. Soon Starscream would be put back into the position of second in command . With that positive came a negative of more activity from the Decepticons, meaning an increased risk that something may happen to Raf. Mentally pushing back the thought, Soundwave take the news to Starscream. Providing all the evidence, Soundwave convinces the seeker to let him open a portal. Once Megatron comes through, Soundwave wonders how much things are going to change.