CHAPTER SUMMARY: They say a nature sabbatical is cleansing for the weary soul. At least, that's what Optimus hears. And if that weary soul happens to already have shown a love for nature? Well, that's just a bonus, isn't it? Time for a field trip!
Or, Optimus and Ellie being a father-daughter duo for several minutes straight.
CHAPTER NOTES:
The fanfic gods: "So A.J., can you tell us about your new chapter, please?"
Me: "Started writing it. Had a breakdown."
Fanfic gods: …
Me: "BON APPETIT—"
No but seriously, writer's block really throat-punched me with this one. Originally this little story-arc was going to be one whole chapter, but as usual, it got way out of hand, so I decided to split it into two chapters for convenience. It actually kinda worked out great because this part ends on...well, you'll see. Get ready for some tooth-rotting fluff, nerds!(affectionate)- with some backstory/lore drop and a dash of angst placed randomly here and there.
I have many, many regrets, but this is not one of them.
Next part will be up soon!
CONTENT WARNING: Descriptions of a panic attack right at the beginning of the chapter.
She was back here again.
Hot. It was too hot. Her eyes stung. She couldn't see. She couldn't breathe. A force suddenly shoved her to the ground. She heard a scream that resonated in her very bones. Then she looked up, and darkness and unimaginable pain consumed her.
Ellie gasped awake in her bed, her eyes blowing wide open. She clutched a hand over her heart, which thundered into her ringing ears. Dimly, she was aware of the familiar, agonizing pain already flaring up from where her right leg used to be, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it this time. Everything felt like it was moving too fast, yet at the same time too slow. Her mind and heart raced, but she was frozen in place. She stared into the darkness of her room, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as her body naturally reacted to the panic coursing relentlessly through her veins. Her tightened chest heaved up and down as she struggled to breathe.
No. Stop! Make it stop!
She shut her eyes tight, causing the tears to break free and roll down her face. Ultimately knowing what to do, she forced herself to concentrate, which took a tremendous amount of effort in her current condition. She sucked in a shuddered breath.
Albany.
She breathed out.
Annapolis.
She took another labored breath in.
Atlanta.
She let it out.
Augusta.
And so on and so forth. For every inhale and exhale, she'd try to mentally list off the state capitals in alphabetical order, giving her something else to focus on. Slowly but surely, her heartrate decreased, her lungs feeling like they were loosening, along with the tension in the rest of her body. By the time she got to Sacramento, she had finally calmed down—at least enough to where there was no need for her method anymore.
Releasing a long, loud breath, she opened her eyes again, blinking away the spots in her vision. For a long time, she simply lay there in the quiet. The fractured images and sensations from her dream that had caused such a reaction in the first place gradually faded from the forefront of her mind, crawling back into the deep, dark shadows of her subconscious where they belonged.
She sniffed, wiping her face dry from her tears. She tried to swallow, only to grimace from the dryness in her throat. Turning herself onto her side and propping herself onto her elbow, she reached for her glass of water on the bedside table—only to harshly falter, hissing in pain from the phantom throbbing still surging through her right leg. She clenched her teeth as she hunched over, her fists trembling as she rode out the excruciating sensation until, slowly, the pain started to recede more into an unpleasant, pressure-like feeling.
Once it became more bearable to move, she grabbed for the glass of water. After gulping down most of it and placing the cup back, she glanced at her alarm clock. The bright green numbers 3:07 blinked mockingly back at her through the darkness.
She heaved out a tired, frustrated sigh. Because of course. She rolled onto her back once more as she rubbed her eyes with her palms. Her head throbbed, eliciting a groan to rise from the base of her throat.
It was another bad night. That much was obvious. It was hard enough trying to fall asleep at a normal bedtime for her on a regular basis, not to mention her tendency to wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to go back to sleep. It happened more often than she cared to admit. But the phantom pains and night terrors? Well, that was just part of the joys of being her, wasn't it? It'd been a while since both had happened at the same time, though.
She'd almost forgotten how utterly horrible it felt.
She supposed it was her own fault for getting complacent, believing that she had finally grown past it. What a naïve hope.
She removed her hands from her face and instead clutched the bed covers, keeping her body straight and still, before relaxing again. Perhaps this time would be different. Despite still feeling rattled from her panic attack and still feeling lingering pain in her residual limb, she was exhausted. She just needed to quiet and calm herself. Just get a couple more hours of sleep; that was all she was asking for.
Don't know why you keep trying to trick yourself. You know you're not getting any more sleep. And even if you do, you'll just get more bad dreams.
Her hands shook and her breath shuddered, but only for a moment.
No need to rub it in, she thought scornfully. Besides, I'm starting to forget most of those dreams now.
Not that it really made much of a difference—especially when she still suffered from the aftereffects.
She shook her head furiously. "It's not that hard," she chastised herself in a whisper. "Just close your eyes, clear your head, and let the quiet take hold."
She did. She tried. It didn't work.
She dared to look at the clock once more. 3:34. She scowled deeply.
I hate you, father time.
She screwed her eyes shut, inhaled a deep breath through her nose, and then released it through her mouth. She stilled, trying to relax and make herself fall asleep once more, but her heart rate refused to slow down even further, her thoughts running too wildly.
Yeah, you're not getting anymore sleep, bud.
Finally believing that it was no use, she opened her eyes with weary resignation. She did take some comfort in the fact that it was the weekend, and didn't have to worry about having to go through a school day on only a few hours of sleep.
Now what, though?
She looked over at where she had thrown her backpack carelessly by her desk on the other side of the room the night before, where she kept the book she was currently reading, Around the World in Eighty Days. She whined, not having the energy to go through the trouble of getting up to retrieve it. Then she noticed her phone on the bedside table, which was actually within reaching distance. Blearily, she grabbed for it, holding it up right in front of her face and turning it on—like an absolute idiot. She let out a startled, pained grunt at the sudden brightness of the screen as she grimaced, eyes squeezing shut for a moment. With a low growl of annoyance, she squinted as she struggled to lower the phone's brightness setting. She figured that if she was giving up entirely on getting any more sleep, she might as well occupy herself by skimming through her phone. So for an indefinite amount of time, she did just that, mindlessly going through several saved pictures, reading random news articles, and rereading some old texts.
And for a while, it seemed to actually work. She couldn't help the easy smile adorning her face as she scrolled through some of the typed back-and-forth conversations between her and her friends. She zoomed in on a picture that Raf had sent her a couple of days ago of a black-spotted gecko warming itself on a rock, and underneath were the messages:
Found this weird lizard outside my house 2day. Thought of you –Raf
Aww that's sweet :) –Ellie
Knew you'd like him. He tried to latch onto Bee XD –Raf
He's just a little guy! -Ellie
^.^ -Raf
Meanwhile, her most recent texts with Jack consisted of a possible opportunity for her to finally meet his mother, while also narrowly avoiding bringing Isla into the mix. If there was anyone worse than Ellie at being a conversationalist at get-togethers and getting along well with others, it was her grandmother:
Hey so I mayyy have accidently mentioned that I'm friends with u to my mom. She wants to invite u and ur grandma over for dinner sometime. Got any preferences? Allergies?–Jack
Might have to rain check on gran joining. She's been super swamped the vet lately, but I'm in. No allergies but I don't eat meat -Ellie
Cool, got it. Might be a while cuz my mom's been pretty busy herself the hospital. Also, just a fair warning: she's nice and all but she can be a bit…much –Jack
I'm sure she's fine. Can't be any worse than my gran –Ellie
We'll see about that –Jack
Do I sense a challenge on who has the most cringe parent here? –Ellie
Maybeee :) –Jack
Oh, Jackson. Don't start a battle you can't win –Ellie
And Miko—bless that girl—has been constantly flooding Ellie's phone with all the pictures she's taken ever since they first exchanged numbers, along with her own little captions to every photo. From selfies, to pictures of weird things she saw and wanted to share, to pictures of fights she'd been able to catch while tagging along with Bulkhead on scouting missions.
Ellie's favorite one so far was the one most recently sent to her. Miko had managed to sneak a candid photo of Ellie and Optimus in a moment of domesticity at base, the Autobot leader reading and typing on a Cybertronian-encrypted page on the main computer monitor, while Ellie was sat comfortably on his shoulder, rereading her worn, paperback copy of Hatchet, an old favorite of hers. Miko's comments that went with the picture still made Ellie chuckle whenever she read through them:
Nerds of a feather! XD –Miko
Readers are leaders ;) –Ellie
Just what a nerd would say ya nerd :P –Miko
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ —Ellie
After a while, Ellie ran out of content to skim through on her phone. She checked the time; it was a little before five, still fairly early.
But not so early anymore that getting up felt too ambitious—to her, at least. It was better than just lying there in the dark, alone with her reeling thoughts.
With a stressed groan, she pushed herself up and moved until she was sat on the edge of the bed, switching her bedside lamp on. She took a moment to rub her face, further attempting to wake herself up, before letting her hands drop into her lap. Looking down, her gaze zeroed in on her right stump, all in its pale-skinned, scarred glory. She blinked blearily, before her eyes shifted slightly over to her bare arms that rested on her knees. Absently, she ran a hand up and down the faintly knotted, burned scar tissue that ran widely along her right arm, while doing the same to the thinner marks on her left arm. It was a habit she'd developed whenever she wore a short-sleeved shirt—and sometimes even when she wore long sleeves, unconsciously trying to feel them through the fabric.
Then, after letting out a yawn and scrubbing her eyes, she reached for her prosthetic materials, starting with her under sock and then her leg, before standing to get dressed and ready for the day. Her body moved on autopilot the entire time, her sleep-deprived mind still trying to catch up—which was probably why she accidently stubbed her left toes hard against the bedside table. Her face scrunched up tight as the pain signals reached her brain, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Then she snatched her pillow and shoved her face into it before proceeding to release her agonized but now muffled groan.
Okay. This mama needs a boost. And painkillers.
She tossed her pillow back on the bed with a huff. After shoving her shoes on and throwing her yellow backpack over her shoulder, she slowly opened her bedroom door and snuck her way down the hall, making sure to avoid all known creaks in the floor so as not to wake up her grandmother.
Yeah, that's just what you need to top off your already crappy morning: having to explain to Gran why you're up at this ungodly hour. Again.
Not only because Isla would be extremely cross for being woken up earlier than needed to before work, but Ellie could only stand to see that barely concealed look of mixed exasperation and pity a certain number of times.
After a quick stop to the bathroom to take her medication, she entered the kitchen. She switched on the lights before she started searching through the pantry pensively, still blinking some fogginess out of her vision. If she was desperate enough, she'd go for some coffee, but Isla had strictly forbidden her from ever going near the stuff again—not after the first (and last) time she had snuck a cup of a particularly strong brew when she was twelve. Long story short: it cranked her jitteriness and anxiety levels up to full blast. And those high-sugar energy drinks were also out of the question; they gave her pretty much the same results as coffee, except with the addition of a major headache and complete body crash shortly afterwards.
Black tea it is, then, Ellie decided as she quietly pulled out a tea bag from its packaging, along with a big mug. She turned toward the gas stove where the kettle was, but then stopped herself warily, reconsidering, before filling up her mug with water and using the microwave instead.
It's just faster and quieter this way, she reasoned with herself.
She waited by the microwave for over a minute, absentmindedly shifting her weight from foot to foot, before she was startled by her phone suddenly vibrating from her pocket. Grateful to her past self for turning her ringtone off, she pulled it out and checked the caller ID. Then her eyebrows rose when the screen read, OP, which was her contact label for Optimus. Her eyes flickered toward the wide, sliding glass door that led to the back yard, where over the fence across the way, she could just see the top of Optimus's alt mode in his usual spot in the dark. He must have seen her turn the lights on. A part of her was also bewildered that he was even there in the first place. He had left the night before, claiming to have taken on monitor duty back at base for the time being. Perhaps his shift didn't last as long as she had initially thought?
Her gaze returning to her phone, she hesitated a couple of more seconds before finally answering, making sure to keep her voice down.
"Hello? Optimus?"
"Ellie," Optimus greeted in his usual courteous manner, though this time there was just a hint of concern in it. "I had a feeling that was you up and moving."
"Um, yeah," she said uncertainly. "Is everything okay?"
"I could ask the same of you. What are you doing up so early? Are you not off from school today?"
"I am. I just—" she faltered briefly, at a loss of what to say at first, before quickly settling with, "I just felt like getting a head start on the day, you know?"
Even as she was saying it, she knew it was a weak excuse. She closed her eyes and face-palmed. She waited tensely in the few seconds of silence between them; she could almost feel the skepticism coming from Optimus's end.
But then, after another long moment of silence, his response instead came in the form of him asking her calmly, "In that case, would you like to go ahead to base?"
She glanced back at the microwave, seeing the water inside beginning to boil over, along with the countdown almost reaching zero. She quickly shut it off with her free hand before the beeper could go off.
"If that's okay," she replied to Optimus, taking her mug out of the microwave.
"Of course."
"Alright. I'll be out in a few minutes."
"Take your time."
With that, she hung up and put her phone away.
Looks like I'm taking this to go, she thought, moving to switch out her mug with a thermos instead. She poured the steaming water into the container along with the tea bag, and after letting it soak for a bit, she sweetened it with two spoonfuls of honey. She took a good, long sip before sealing the thermos, sighing deeply from the hot, sweet taste, and sliding it into the side pocket of her backpack. Then, after taking a moment to swipe her lunchbox full of pre-packed food from the refrigerator and stuff it in her bag, she crept to the back door, slowly sliding it open, stepping out into the cool fresh air, and closing it with a soft click.
She was about to cross the yard, believing she was in the clear, but the sound of a low whine stopped her short.
Oh, no.
She looked over just in time to see their newly fostered dog jump up from her napping spot on the corner of the porch.
"Oh, hey, girl," she whispered stiffly, staying perfectly still as the canine trotted over, her body barely reaching the middle of Ellie's thighs. "Just going out for a while. That cool with you?"
Please don't get the zoomies, please don't get the zoomies, she mentally begged.
Her stomach dropped with dread when the dog's tail (her whole behind, really) started moving at what seemed like fifty WPS (wags per second), a sure sign that she was about to go into hyperactive mode.
"Hey, hey, easy," Ellie said, keeping her voice soft but now with blatant urgency as she couched down to the dog's level before the dog could start flouncing around the yard. She gently smoothed back the dog's short, greyish-brown fur as she continued to shush her, calming her before she could get any more excited. She was careful not press too hard into some of the healing, scarred areas around the dog's abdomen and the back of her neck. When Ellie and Isla had first taken her in about a month ago, she was a little worse for wear, with scratches and puncture wounds, her fur loose and scraggly. They thought she had either gotten into a bad fight with another animal beforehand, or was forced to into dog fighting intentionally by a previous owner and then was abandoned—the latter a more likely scenario than people initially thought, which made both Isla and Ellie's blood boil. Going by the structure of the dog's face, body, and the color of her fur, Isla had surmised her to be a mix between a pug and a beagle; a puggle. And she was approximately two years old. They still had yet to come up with a good name for her, though.
Fortunately, the dog was in her healing stage now, and knew to be friendly to someone who was good and wanted to help her.
But perhaps she knew too much. She always tended to act up whenever Ellie tried to go out alone, especially when she was going out to spend the day with Team Prime—though Ellie doubted the dog knew that was what she was doing exactly. Then again, dogs always seemed to have that sense about them.
Like right now, for example.
Once Ellie thought the dog had calmed down enough, she straightened back up and tried to continue on her way, but the dog jumped into her path, beginning to whine again as her body wriggled anxiously. Ellie tried to go around again, only to get the same results.
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "What, you don't want me to leave?"
The dog snorted, pawing at her eagerly.
Ellie sighed. "You're a clingy one, aren't you?" she commented. "Maybe that should be your name. Clingy."
The dog hacked up some spit at Ellie's feet.
"Yeah, you're right. That sucks. We'll keep workshopping."
Luckily, Ellie was prepared for this probable complication. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small package and unwrapped it, revealing some beef hide. The dog instantly picked up its savory odor and started getting excited again.
"Here, this should keep you busy for a while," Ellie muttered as she let the dog snatch the treat right out of her hand, accepting the bribe. "I promise I'll be back later, girl. Until then, be good for Gran."
The dog had stopped paying attention at that point, going back to her corner to gnaw away on the hide, but Ellie was pretty sure her point had come across just fine. Obstacle averted, Ellie quickly but quietly trekked across the yard, slipping out the gate before the dog could change her mind again. She crossed the dark, empty laneway toward Optimus, whose engine was already running idly and his door open, waiting for her. She made her way around his exterior and climbed into the passenger side, the door automatically closing gently behind her once she was settled and buckled in.
Ellie sat back, exhaling steadily as Optimus pulled out of the lot and into the street, beginning the drive through Jasper. After several seconds of silence, she said softly, "Thanks, Optimus."
"You're welcome. Now…" in one quick motion, his rearview mirror tilted to focus onto her, his voice effortlessly shifting into stern, no-nonsense mode through the speakers, "…would you like to tell me the real reason why you are not currently resting when you should be?"
At first, all Ellie could do was blink a couple of times, half to will away any of her lingering weariness, and the other half in bewilderment. You'd think she'd be used to being scolded by a talking truck at this point. Granted, it didn't happen often, but it was still effective, even after knowing Optimus for a month and a half.
She sank in her seat a little as she reluctantly answered, "No real reason."
"Did you stay up reading again?"
"No."
"Elinor."
"I swear I didn't this time!" she insisted, hands raised in defense. She had learned her lesson the one time she did that on a school night and he found out.
(But in her defense, it was The Count of Monte Cristo, and she just had to see how that drama bomb was going to go off).
"Alright, but if not that, then what is it? I know you told me that you are an early riser, but this is a bit excessive, considering the time I dropped you off last night. At your age, you should be getting at least eight hours of sleep per solar cycle, according to human customary standards."
"Those numbers are really more like suggestions than facts," she grumbled under her breath, while in the back of her mind she wondered how he even knew that. Did he just look that up? Did he have Space Google on command or something?
Optimus didn't humor her with a response to that remark, instead keeping on track by asking her, only this time in a gentler, more coaxing tone, "Little one, is something wrong?"
She paused, her brow twitching ever so slightly, only for her to quickly smooth over her expression. For just that passing moment, there was a tiny part of her that actually wanted to blurt out everything to him right then, very nearly opening her mouth to start talking—which, in all honesty, shocked her to no end. No one else has ever been able to do that, not even when Isla had first made her go see a counselor. But years of experience had won out in the end, stamping down that compulsion in a heartbeat. It was better for the both of them.
After all, she highly doubted that he wanted to see her end up hunkered down into a crying ball with her hands over her ears. No one ever did.
Her head lowered slightly as she stuffed her clenching hands into the front pocket of her hoodie. "Nothing's wrong. I just woke up early and didn't feel like going back to sleep. That's all," she finally answered.
Optimus didn't reply for a moment. She was sure that if he were in his true form right then, he'd be giving her that critical stare that he occasionally used when he thought someone wasn't being truthful with him. She knew just the one—the steely gaze, the fractional arch of the eyebrow, the slight downturn of the lips. She's only seen it twice since she's known him; once when she'd stayed up reading all through the night that one time, and once when Bumblebee had broken an important piece of Ratchet's lab equipment and tried to pin it on Bulkhead. It was simple, but effective. Ellie may not be able to see it now, but she could certainly feel its weight. Regardless, she kept a straight face; she had nothing to be guilty for. She was telling the truth, in a sense. It was a very, very oversimplified truth, but a truth nonetheless.
Finally, a soft gush of air was released through his vents, the Cybertronian alt mode's equivalent to a sigh. "Very well."
With that, the subject was dropped, but the silence that ensued afterwards left Ellie feeling tense. She tried to take her mind off it by turning her head to stare out the window, watching the dark, empty shop buildings pass by them as he drove through the streets of Jasper for the next several minutes. The scenery reminded Ellie of a ghost town, due to most of its residents still at home asleep. She almost envied them—being able to sleep consistently on through the entire night and well into the morning without problems. She remembered what that was like—could recall when she was capable of doing so, even. She wished she could be like that again. Then maybe she'd actually start to feel some semblance of normalcy, for once.
But not if it meant having to go through that same nightmare over and over, and waking up with that same awful feeling—like paralyzing, ice-cold venom had been injected into her veins; the fear taking over, the pain, the helplessness…
And the numbing sense that she had just lost something important, and she could never get it back.
"Ellie."
She inhaled a sharp breath, involuntarily straightening in her seat as Optimus calling her name snapped her back to reality. She turned back to the dashboard like a deer caught in headlights. Suddenly becoming aware that he had probably been talking to her and she was too zoned out to hear him, her face heated up with embarrassment.
"Sorry—did you say something?" she questioned falteringly.
There was short pause before he spoke again, carefully, "I asked you how your written report for your new science project is coming along."
"Oh. Um, it's fine."
Another beat of silence. Then he asked, a touch pressing, "Just fine?"
She looked away again. "It's…still too soon to write a whole lot. Flowers have barely bloomed yet, you know," she provided stiffly, referring to her newly updated plant growth project for the state-wide science fair she was partaking in in a couple of weeks. She and Optimus have been frequently keeping track of her samples' progress, keeping them stored in the small cave up on the roof of the silo for safe-keeping (and away from Ratchet, if she had anything to say about it).
Vaguely, she knew that she should probably discuss it more thoroughly, and focus on coming up with ways to further her project, but she just wasn't in the right headspace to worry about it at the moment. Not to mention, the reminder of her nightmare made a certain pressure return to her residual limb—or, really, made her more aware of it again, as it never truly went away. Her hands curled in her lap, her jaw tightening a little.
Optimus must've been able to sense that she wasn't much in a talking mood, though, because he simply responded with, "I see," and didn't converse any further, instead allowing the silence to continue to reign over them for the rest of the drive. Ellie went right back to gazing out at the passing scenery, her fingers now tapping distractedly against her thighs as she put her all her focus on counting every cactus she spotted outside as they crossed the desert.
Thirty-six. It's always thirty-six. Hasn't changed since the last several times you counted, Miss Diversion.
She gnawed the inside of her cheek irritably before forcing down the bitter feeling. A few minutes later, the plateau which harbored the secret silo came into view, looming over the still-dark horizon. Seeing that they were getting closer, Ellie finally spoke up on her own.
"Is there anything that needs to be done around base today?" she asked with hopeful hesitance. "Anything need cleaning, replacing, or organizing? Did Miko leave another mess last night? If so, I can take care of it, if you want."
"No, everything is in order for now. Thank you for offering, though," Optimus replied.
Ellie tried to ignore the disappointed pit-fall in her stomach by pressing once more, "Are you sure? 'Cause if there's anything out of place at all, I can handle it no problem."
"I know you can," Optimus said smoothly. "And if there is something, I will let you know, but for the time being, we are fine. You can relax for the day."
It was all Ellie could do to hold back a grimace. Right, relax. I can do that. Probably.
"Okay," she finally said softly in defeat.
It wasn't long until they made their way through the secret access tunnel and into the central bay area of the silo. She climbed out of his alt mode once he pulled to a complete stop, already walking away and heading for the stairs, even as she faintly heard Optimus transforming behind her. Right before she reached the steps, though, a light beep turned her attention to the monitors, where Bumblebee was currently stationed. The Autobot scout waved at her.
"Oh, hi, Bee," she greeted, halfheartedly waving back.
Bumblebee tilted his head, the bright blue in his optic lenses spiraling outward slightly, before he put his curled fingers back-to-back, turned them outward, and then pointed at her. "How are you?"
Ellie couldn't help the small smile adorning her lips for just a moment as she mentally interpreted the sign. Bumblebee was really getting the hang of ASL. Turning to face him more, she swiped her right hand across her chin, letting it drop to her left hand once, before putting it to her chin again only to move it outward toward him. "I'm good, thanks."
Bumblebee looked ready to sign some more, but Optimus approaching him diverted his attention and inadvertently ended their silent conversation, Bumblebee standing up a little straighter at the sight of his leader. Leaving them to it, Ellie proceeded up the stairs, made her way onto the lower platform, and over to the area where she and the other kids have been gradually turning into a sort-of living space for them whenever they visited. There wasn't much to it at the moment; some old furniture that Agent Fowler had donated from a storage unit in the compound he worked at, an even older-looking television set (the kind with the rabbit ears) along with one of Raf's game consoles and controllers, a makeshift shelf put together next to it with a growing collection of books, movies, and games the kids were adding, and a small table in the center—though, honestly, it was less of a table and more of a single, wooden board held up by cinder blocks that they found around the silo. Sure, it held some things fine, but it wasn't exactly sturdy either.
Note to self: Find an actual table. Or, heck, learn how to build an actual table.
That made Ellie stop, considering. Hey, now there's something I could do, she thought, a hand to her chin. That thing won't keep forever if more weight is added, and worse, I can see one of the others getting hurt from it. Maybe if I look around, find some leftover wood or something, and some tools. And I could search a tutorial video online, and—
She quickly shook the rambling thoughts away, frowning. Nope. Nope. This is supposed to be a relaxing day, girl.
She rubbed her temples with a sigh, then unhooked her backpack from her shoulders and opened it up as she slowly walked towards the chair. If only it were ever that easy on days like these, but so long as she had something to help keep her occupied, she'd be fine.
Mostly.
Glancing furtively at his charge from across the room, Optimus could not shake the feeling that something was off with her.
It wasn't the fact that she seemed tired from lack of a full night's sleep; that was not anything entirely new. Since day one of being her guardian, he was well aware of her habit of being up earlier than the average human her age. He would've brought even more attention to it straight away, but she seemed so accustomed to it, and always managed it well enough. So for the most part, he stayed silent about it. Far be it from him to tell her about her sleep habits anyway, when he himself tended to have his own power-down sessions cut short.
(The exception being, of course, for that one time she spent the entire night reading that long novel. She had looked, as the humans say, "dead on her feet" the next day).
Today, however, was different.
Not only did she not get anywhere close to a proper amount of rest, but there was a change in her overall demeanor. She was distracted, withdrawn. Her nervous tendencies also seemed to have increased, making her more on edge, which sent a small wave of disheartenment through him. She had been improving so well in the past month. Clearly, something had made her distraught enough to set her back again.
But the most prominent tell for him was when she had merely given a short, dismissive answer regarding her plant project. Since they had started working on her project together, she never passed up an opportunity to tell him all about what she was learning regarding Earth environmental science, her favorite subject other than AP literature.
There was no doubt about it: something was wrong, and he had every intention of getting to the bottom of it.
Optimus returned his gaze to Bumblebee before him, just as the Autobot scout was saying to him in his binary voice, "No suspicious activity to report, Optimus. All's been quiet here all night."
Optimus nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Bumblebee."
"No problem." Bumblebee paused momentarily, his optics flickering curiously between Optimus and the only human currently present across the way. "I actually wasn't expecting you two for at least another few hours. Is everything okay?"
Optimus was passively silent at first. "For the moment," he finally replied with some reservation, keeping his voice low, "that remains to be seen." Then he gently raised his voice back to normal level and said with finality, "That will be all, Bumblebee. You may return to your post."
It was fleeting, but in a moment of hesitation, Bumblebee's optics rested on Ellie once more, looking her up and down, and there was what appeared to be a flash of recognition passing through them, his door-wings twitching ever so slightly. Then he looked back at Optimus and nodded the affirmative. "Thanks, Optimus."
Bumblebee turned with the intention of leaving for his own human charge's home. Before he did so, though, he released light buzz through his vocal component—a specific binary noise used in order to get Ellie's attention. At the familiar call, the girl perked up lightly. Looking over, she watched as Bumblebee carefully signed to her with a small series of hand movements that Optimus himself couldn't understand. However, whatever the scout had signed must've been surprisingly amusing to Ellie, because her eyes widened, then she let out a snort as she covered her mouth trying to hold in her laugh. After calming down a moment later, she signed something back to him, which made him release his own trill of laughter.
Not for the first time, Optimus's spark chamber warmed at the sight of the two individuals interacting with one another. It happened more regularly than when it had first started, but it was still quite the spectacle to behold, and for a number of reasons. He could recall a time—what felt like many lifetimes ago now—when Bumblebee had struggled to get used to his new binary voice modulator provided by Ratchet. Even though the others could understand him just fine, it was still a major adjustment for him, especially considering the…circumstances that led to the loss of his original voice. And taking refuge on a planet where its inhabitants couldn't understand him (and, by most accounts, didn't want to understand him) didn't exactly help the matter either.
But that all changed when the children came along. First it was Rafael, the first and possibly only human who was somehow able to understand Bumblebee perfectly. To say that the scout had been shocked by this discovery the day they first met would be an understatement, but it was a welcome surprise in the end. The two had developed an instant friendship, becoming kindred spirits through their youthful nature and shared interests. And then there was Ellie, who, even though she couldn't understand him the same way Rafael could, still wanted to try. Once she'd started to open herself up more to the others, and finding that she and Bumblebee had more in common than they'd both realized, she found her own means of communication and offered it to him. He was immediately onboard, both of them willing to put in the effort to learn a whole other language together. Now they could speak and listen to each other in their own, unique way.
Just another one of the many surprises that humans and Earth had to offer.
Ellie and Bumblebee then waved goodbye to each other before the Autobot scout turned and transformed into his alt mode, speeding out of the silo with a roar of his engine. Ellie watched him leave, but once he was gone, her smile slowly disappeared. She returned her gaze to the floor in front of her, her expression becoming as downcast as it had been since leaving her house. Whatever pleasant feelings Bumblebee had made her feel earlier visibly faded away, becoming overshadowed by whatever was relentlessly plaguing her thoughts.
Optimus's brows furrowed in concern. Before he could contemplate more on it, however, the sound of another approaching Autobot turned his attention to the back hallway. Ratchet then entered the main area, having come out of his recent—and much needed—power-down, and carrying a small cube of energon in one hand.
"Ratchet," Optimus greeted, meeting him halfway.
"Optimus," the medic returned in the same manner. Then he frowned, checking his chronometer. "Did I get up late or are you back early?"
"You are fine, it's just the latter."
"Are you in need of an energon ration?"
Optimus shook his head with a small smile as Ratchet offered his own energon cube. "No, that's quite alright, Ratchet. After all, you need that more than I do at the moment," he said with a subtle but knowing look.
Ratchet went rigid momentarily, then suddenly took an interest in his pedes. "Well, it's just that I noticed that our supply is starting to dwindle again..." he said lowly.
Optimus ex-vented softly. This was not the first time they have had this discussion. He was very fortunate to have even convinced Ratchet to go into a light power-down last night. "That does not determine who should receive more energon and who should not, old friend," he said with as much gentle emphasis as he could.
Ratchet said nothing, though his expression betrayed how much he wanted to protest. In the end, he nodded grudgingly. He started to make his way for the main console, but a light rustling off to the side made him halt. He looked over and saw Ellie pulling out a metal container from her backpack. She unscrewed the top, causing hot steam to slowly rise out of it, but that didn't stop her from bringing it close to her face, smelling it first before taking a long drink of whatever type of liquid was in it.
Ratchet's optics narrowed. "What is that?"
Upon hearing his voice directed at her, Ellie lowered the container from her mouth, swallowing first, before turning to him. "Hmm? What'd you say?"
"What are you consuming there?"
Her eyes flicked down to her container, then back to him, clearly wondering what was with the medic's curiosity. "Um, it's tea. Heard of it?"
Ratchet's skeptical bemusement only increased. "Tea?"
Ellie briefly rubbed her eyes with a sigh, as though willing herself to draw some patience and awareness for this conversation. "You know, like...you take these specific leaves and mix them in with boiling water, and that makes tea. It's good for helping to wake you up sometimes—for humans, at least."
Ratchet stared at her for a long moment, only for him to burst out incredulously, "You even drink your plants?!"
That was a reductive way of putting it. Optimus knew that, and he knew Ellie knew that too, and would usually point it out to Ratchet and correct him—like when she had tried to explain the concept of vegetables to him last week.
This time, however, she merely stared vacantly back at him instead. Then she answered in a low murmur, "Yeah, sure," before going about her business again.
Ratchet shook his head. "I swear, I will never understand you organics and your means of energy consumption. It's just too peculiar."
That was what got Ellie to stop and turn back to him. That, she couldn't let go, apparently. "Don't you consume rocks you dig up from the ground?" she asked dully.
Ratchet bristled, indignant. "Wha—?! Energon is not a rock!"
"But you do dig it up from the ground first, right? Like a rock?"
Ratchet opened his mouth, but no sound came out, glaring at her. Then he turned and started to walk away, but not before grousing to her in a final bid to get the last word in, "Just drink your leaf juice!"
Her flat expression unwavering, Ellie shamelessly took another—noticeably louder—sip. "'Kay."
Like nearly every other interaction he's witnessed between Ellie and Ratchet thus far, Optimus couldn't help but quietly shake his head, but it wasn't without a certain fondness either. How two such beings could be so different in personality, yet so similar in other ways, he might never truly know—nor whether it was coincidence or fate that eventually brought them both into his company.
The three current residents in the silo soon fell into a companionable silence between them, each one finding themselves something to keep themselves occupied without bothering the others. Ratchet took over monitor duty as usual, scanning the system for any strange activity. Optimus, for his part, settled in the space between where Ratchet and Ellie were residing. He took out his personal datapad and started going over recent reports given to him by his fellow Autobots, whether they covered scouting missions, battles with Decepticons, relations with their human alliance within the government, or inventory alerts.
All was standard as of late. Since the incident with Starscream and Skyquake, Decepticon activity has, for the most part, quieted down again. Any encounter they did have, it was with Vehicon troopers from when they occasionally raided occupied energon mines. A hassle, but nothing too major that he and his team could not handle.
Optimus checked the inventory report once more, his expression hardening just slightly. Ratchet was correct earlier: their energon supply was indeed beginning to diminish—not to the critical levels, but it was getting there. Seizing remnants of Decepticon-controlled deposits alone were starting to not be enough. If they were to keep their reserves in check, they needed to find more prominent deposits, untapped and unguarded. Such a thing was difficult to come by, though—rare, even, it seemed these days.
Lowering the datapad, he lifted his helm, his optics needing a break from staring at a screen. Idly, he let his gaze wander for a moment, until he settled once more toward the humans' makeshift living area, where Ellie was. She seemed more alert now than when he picked her up, less tired; that so-called tea must have finally taken effect. But she still didn't look quite the way she normally did. She had a book open in her lap, but her eyes weren't moving across the pages nearly as fast as they usually were—if they ever moved at all at times—indicating that she was hardly even absorbing what she was reading, her mind elsewhere. Occasionally, she would fidget in her spot, her fingers twitching. And it was subtle, but she also seemed to display signs of discomfort, eyes flickering down to her right leg—only to quickly shake herself and return to staring at her book with a somewhat tight frown.
She may not be as exhausted as she was earlier, but something about her just screamed at him that something was mentally wearing her down. He of all beings knew what a heavy burden looked like, after all.
But he couldn't outright ask her what the burden in question was. Well, he could, but it would not do him much good; the drive over had reminded him of that. As expressive as she could be, Ellie was not one to surrender her thoughts and feelings so easily to others, especially ones that were so personal to her. It went right back to that quiet nature of hers, of keeping everything to herself—not entirely unlike himself, he supposed. And while she was far from the most stubborn or difficult being he's had to deal with, he found that, when it came to certain subjects, approaching them head-on hardly ever worked with her. If she was made to feel like she was backed into a corner, it would only be worse for both of them; any trust that she had in him would be lost, and he would just be another person she kept at arm's length.
No. She had to want to tell him herself in her own time, when she was ready. He would not push her for answers.
A gentle nudge in the right direction, on the other hand, was not out of the question.
The real challenge here was how to go about it. In all his years as a Prime, he's come to learn that there was a fullness of time for these sorts of things. Knowing when to prod and when to be quiet; to either let things take their course or to intervene, depending on the person and circumstances involved. It was a feat that required no small amount of tact and patience.
And fortunately, Optimus was gifted with all the patience and tact in the universe.
Even more fortunate, it turned out he did not have wait for that long for an opportunity.
Approximately an hour later, the silence in the base was broken by Ratchet, "Optimus, I've picked up an energon signature."
Optimus stepped up behind the Autobot medic, who elaborated, typing in coordinates, "It's very faint—hardly picks up on our scanners—but with some modifications to the frequency wave link, I was able to pinpoint its approximate location somewhere in the Pacific Northwest."
Optimus looked at the signal pensively, along with the general area where it was supposedly located, feeling as though he could recall something significant about it. It came to him only shortly after, remembering a conversation he had with Ellie not too long ago about Earth, when she had mentioned in passing some of the places on Earth she had always wanted to see. And one of those places happened to be within the same region.
He studied the map a moment more, and sure enough, the signal was within driving distance.
"Do you detect any Decepticon activity in the area as well?" Optimus asked, to be safe.
"No. The energon pulse is currently so small and fresh, I doubt they would even bother with it in such a hurry—not while they're most likely occupied with their more prominent mines," Ratchet answered.
So a minimal risk factor, then. Good. It was settled.
"I could comm one of the others to scout it out," Ratchet was offering just as Optimus came to a decision.
"No, I will go."
Optimus then turned to face Ellie, who had lifted her head up curiously at the first half of their conversation, but then returned her attention to her book after a minute. He approached the platform, his steps alerting her of his presence. She looked back up as he stopped before her, lowering himself slightly to be closer.
"Ellie," he said. "Would you like to accompany me?"
She blinked once, then twice as she registered the question. "Really?" she asked while sitting up straighter, clearly not expecting the invitation, but there was a hint of hope detected in her voice as well.
"Really?" Ratchet echoed her a mere second after, except his tone was much more cynical, glimpsing back at them with a raised optical ridge.
"It's only reconnaissance," Optimus assured the two of them. "And I will make certain that it remains safe."
Ellie shifted, as if to stand, but stopped herself and regarded him uncertainly, like she wanted to believe it but didn't quite know if she should. "Are...are you sure?"
Optimus offered her a calm, gentle smile. "I am sure."
Though she still appeared to have some lingering reservation, some of her initial doubt slowly ebbed away from her expression. "Okay. I'll get my stuff."
While Ellie reached to gather up her backpack and anything else she would need, Optimus returned to the central area, grabbing one of the handheld energon radars for use. By the computer terminal, Ratchet still appeared to have his misgivings about the idea of Ellie coming along, but not outright saying it. Optimus knew that, even though Ratchet would very likely never admit it to anyone—much less himself—he did worry for the children's well-being deep down.
In the end, though, Ratchet waved a dismissive servo, seemingly uncaring. "Very well. Gives me more time for some peace and quiet around here anyway. And perhaps you could even make this scouting mission a teaching moment for this one—educate her that energon is not just some rock."
From behind him, Optimus heard Ellie let out a huff, muttering under her breath, "Didn't say that was a bad thing."
One corner of Optimus's lip-plates lifted ever so slightly, but only for a second until it disappeared before either of them noticed.
Ratchet set the coordinates into the system and activated the ground bridge just as Optimus went to stand before it. He glanced over and downward in time to see Ellie approach. He noticed that she still moved with more hesitance to add weight to her prosthetic than most other days, but otherwise remained steadfast as she came to stand next to him. She looked back up at him expectantly, the swirling brightness of the portal reflecting off of them both.
"Ready?"
She nodded, hands gripping the straps of her backpack.
With that, the two of them stepped into the vortex, and in a flash, they were teleported from the confines of the Autobot base. Stepping out of the other side of the ground bridge tunnel, they instantly found themselves in a completely new environment. They stood in the middle of a lush forest. Optimus could see mountains in the distance, mostly obscured by the many trees that stretched up toward the sky, most of them even taller than himself. He could hear rushing water somewhere nearby. The air felt more chilled around them, a light mist ghosting over the naturally uneven ground in the soft glow of the early morning.
From next to him, Optimus heard a sharp intake. He inclined his helm downward. Ellie had gone still. The only thing about her that moved was her now wide eyes; they darted around quickly, taking in everything as much as they possibly could as she stared on with something akin to wonder. He didn't know what it was about it, but there was now a certain…gleam, in her gaze, a stark contrast to the fairly gloomy demeanor she's had all morning.
Before he could even think to ask what the matter was, she turned to him and asked in a barely hushed voice, "Where are we?"
After a short pause, he answered, "The southern part of the state you call Oregon."
He felt that it wouldn't have mattered what he said; her reaction would've been the same. She looked onwards again, the beginnings of a smile curling at her lips. "Nice."
Optimus activated the scanner, the device beeping as it honed in on the faint signal and directed him eastward. "The energon shouldn't be too far from here."
"Then we'd better get going."
"Hold on, now."
Any trace of Ellie's small smile vanished at the seriousness in his tone. He moved to stand in front of her before he lowered himself to one knee, his expression just as serious.
"Before we go any further, there are some things you and I must go over."
Her eyebrows rose, instantly understanding where this was going. "You mean like…ground rules?"
"Yes."
"Like, 'do everything you tell me to,' and 'don't ask dumb questions'?"
Optimus didn't reply, staring blankly back at her.
She merely gave a small shrug, clearing her throat. "Those have always been Gran's rules when she takes me with her on errands and stuff," she explained quickly, yet diffidently.
Optimus stayed quiet for another brief moment. Why did that make him feel like it clarified a couple of things about her? Filing that away for the time being, he brought them back on track.
"First thing: Do not wander too far from me. Stay at least within the same general vicinity. We would like to avoid getting separated. And in the event that does happen, contact me on your cellular phone."
She nodded agreeably.
"Second: If you see or hear something, let me know."
At this, her face pinched a little. "Even something small?"
"If you feel it is of importance, yes. That also applies to other scenarios. If you get hurt or if there is something you need—no matter how minimal you think it is—tell me right away."
She absorbed that confirmation with another small, wordless nod.
"And lastly, but most importantly," he said, retaining his firm countenance to ensure he had her undivided attention. "While it is unlikely for us to encounter a Decepticon here, a slim chance is still a chance. If and when there comes a time where we are under attack, you are to do exactly as I say, when I say it. If I tell you to hide, you hide. If I tell you to run, you run. And so on."
Ellie's face had been swept clean of any emotion during his speech that time. When he finished, she looked like she wanted to say something, but instead chose to remain silent, looking down with a now hardened expression.
In turn, Optimus's own features alleviated, having some idea of what must be going through her mind, based on past experience alone. He reached down and gently guided her gaze back upwards to lock with his once more. "I only say these things with your safety in mind. You have seen for yourself what the Decepticons are capable of. They will not hesitate to harm you if they get the chance. And I will not give them that chance, so long as my spark still functions. Do you understand?"
She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep, even breath in and out. When she reopened them, her expression cleared, as though nothing troubling had been addressed at all.
"Those terms are acceptable," she said lightly.
"Good."
Believing that their conversation was over, Ellie started to take a step forward, only to be stopped by a raise of Optimus's servo, a clear sign of 'wait.'
"Are there any rules that you wish to add?" he asked her.
Ellie did a double take, obviously not expecting that question. "Me?"
Holding back an almost-smile of amusement, he said casually, "You are here too, are you not?"
She blinked, then looked away, humming contemplatively. "Well…you pretty much covered all our bases already." Then her posture straightened as a thought occurred to her. She looked back up at him.
"You know how when something goes horribly wrong, and a grown-up tells a kid, 'Everything's okay,' even though they're lying just to make the kid feel better?"
Optimus's optical ridge arched, mildly bemused, but he inclined his head yes.
She hesitated, then regarded him solemnly, yet pleadingly. "You can just be honest with me. Please."
It was short, simple, and to the point. And yet it still held a substantial amount of prominence and earnestness from the way she said it, the way she looked at him. There was so much he could take from that—like many other things she has said in the past—but in the end, he gave a single nod and gently repeated her previous words back to her, "Those terms are acceptable."
Ellie's face relaxed into a small smile once more, nodding back.
Optimus rose to his full height, overall satisfied with their exchange. With some vigilance (and perhaps a generous amount of luck), the rules they established would not have to be enforced—at least not as soon as he feared. He assumed that the rest of the Autobots had a similar set of rules with their own human charges while away from the safety of either the base or their homes. He knew that Bulkhead tried to with Miko at least—although they still had yet to stick for her.
And so, Optimus and Ellie began their trek through the forest. While doing so, the Autobot leader would occasionally shift his focus from the scanner guiding them, to the surrounding area in search of anything worth noting, and to the human child walking close by. He kept a particularly closer optic on the latter, seeing how she was faring. He had deliberately eased up his normal stride to allow for Ellie to keep up with him better at the start. Even so, one step for him was like ten steps for her, maybe more. Secretly, he still found himself keeping back the urge to simply pick her up and carry her sometimes. Not because he thought she was slowing him down, but because he knew she'd be safe no matter what. Right there within his grasp.
And, well…there may be a small part of him that found something close to comfort out of it—that made him feel safe as well. He still was uncertain of how to fully process that.
But after having gone through his research on human disabilities, he internally vowed that he would not step in and assist unless she asked, accepted the offer, or the situation called for it if dire enough. He wanted her to be able to have that option, that freedom for mobility if she so desired.
And from the looks of it, she was currently appreciating that freedom. She was appreciating it immensely.
Every twenty seconds or so, she would slow down her pace to examine whatever had caught her eye with rapt interest; whether it was a rock, a bug, a small animal, or a plant that couldn't be found in the desert region where she lived. She ran a hand through a bit of green shrubbery, causing droplets of water to spatter to the ground, some of it splashing her feet. She only smiled before moving along. The rough terrain did not seem to deter her either. If there was an obstacle in her path, she immediately found a way to maneuver past it. When they crossed paths with a large tree that had been completely knocked over, roots and all, Ellie took one look at it, and just scurried up on top of it and walked along its trunk, keeping her arms out to stay balanced. Reaching the end, she easily jumped from one branch to another before hopping down onto solid ground and continuing on.
She moved through these woods as though she had been doing it every day for her whole life. Even that strain she seemed to have had earlier before they arrived—it had decreased exponentially, to the point where it was near nonexistent. It was uncanny.
But at the same time, she wasn't reckless either. They came into a clearing several minutes later and found themselves before a river. Ellie peered critically at the high water level and the way it roared on by with chunks of debris crashing through the unforgiving waves, and wisely steered clear of the edge.
"A storm's just been through here," she muttered, mostly to herself. "A big one."
Optimus consulted the energon detector. "The signal is somewhere on the other side." Then, after carefully calculating the distance between both sides of the river, he added, "We'll have to cross."
Ellie straightened. "As in jump?"
"It's the simpler solution, unless you are more comfortable finding another way around."
She shook her head. "It's fine. Like you said, it's easier."
She was already coming up to him as he knelt, placing his servo on the ground in front of her. Once she was settled in his open palm, he gently brought her close and rose up again.
"Hold on tight," he told her. He curled his digits more securely around her, caging her against his chassis. His sensors could pick up the rate of her tiny heartbeat increasing—could feel it against him, even—but the soft smile she offered when she craned her head back to look up at him told him that it was more out of anticipation than fear.
Because she trusts you.
"Ready," she said, inadvertently pulling him out of his thoughts, as she gripped her hands around his index digit.
Keeping the hand around his charge locked firmly to his chassis, he crouched down only to leap up into the air, the wind rushing past them in the few seconds they were airborne. They landed clear on the other side with fifteen feet to spare, the ground quaking beneath his pedes from the impact.
"Whoa," Ellie breathed, her grip loosening once they became still.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he carefully pulled her away from him to get a proper look at her.
She regarded him with that same half smile and inclined her head. "I'm good, thanks."
Taking her word for it, he lowered her back down to the ground, unconsciously letting his hand linger for a little longer until she steadied herself on her own.
"So, what are we looking for, exactly?" she asked him, looking all around them quizzically. "I mean, how do we know where to find energon? I doubt it'll just be out in the open for anyone to see; that'd be too easy."
If only it was, Optimus mentally inputted before answering her, "Energon naturally takes form in a subterranean environment on planets such as this one. If we are to find any clue to the whereabouts of our deposit, our best bet would be to locate an opening into a cavern of some kind."
"A cave?"
He checked the scanner again. "Yes."
A pensive hum then tugged his gaze back down. Ellie was staring ahead of them with her face scrunched up in a thoughtful frown—the same expression she always wore when she was trying to solve a problem placed before her. She made that face quite frequently whenever he saw her working on her homework at base, or whenever she reached a pivotal plot point in a book she was reading. It was...oddly endearing.
Whatever was going through her mind, she didn't voice it out loud. However, once they started walking again, she seemed too preoccupied to admire her surroundings anymore. She had her gaze turned skyward, eyes darting around, looking for something specific. And based on how her head was cocked slightly to the side in concentration, she was also listening for something.
This kept going until nearly five minutes later, when she suddenly stiffened, eyes flashing. Then she took off in a sprint ahead of him without warning.
"Wh—Ellie!" Optimus called out in surprise, instinctively increasing his pace before she could draw further away. As he did so, he quickly scanned the surrounding area for anything threatening, but saw or heard no sign except for the local wildlife that more or less steered clear of their presence. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Without slowing down or looking back, she merely yelled out one word, "Bat!"
…what?
He allowed only a nanoklik of perplexity to pass before continuing to pursue her. She skidded to a halt once for just a fleeting moment, head swiveling around, before she abruptly veered in a different direction, not stopping even as she tore right through some underbrush, causing leaves to fly up everywhere.
He may have thought too soon about her not being reckless.
"Ellie, wait," he ordered as she disappeared around a large, moss-covered rock formation. He barely noticed his scanner make an alerting sound as he followed.
"Over here!" she finally responded, her voice betraying excitement.
On the other side waited a steady incline, nearly concealed by the tree canopies. And at the bottom was the jagged mouth of a cave, approximately fifty feet in height and width. Ellie stood right in the center at the foot of it, its scale making her appear even smaller in perspective.
Ex-venting softly, he took his time approaching, grateful that Ellie didn't get the notion to take off into the cave alone. He stopped right behind the girl and stared into its shadowy depths. He could hear the slight howl of the wind, as well as a faint, high-pitched shrieking sound, from somewhere inside. Then he looked at the scanner once more. They were almost right on top of the energon signature.
"Is this the right kind of cave you're looking for?" Ellie asked.
He fixed his gaze down at her and countered her question with his own, "How did you know it was here?"
"I didn't. I just followed one of those little guys." She pointed up past him. He turned his helm only to see a small, dark blur suddenly zoom by him. His sharp optics managed to make out a tiny, brown-furred creature with featherless wings. It swept erratically among the entrance for just a moment before diving into the cave, letting out that same screech he heard from somewhere inside.
"Bats are nocturnal animals," Ellie explained, "and this is usually around the time they go back into a dark hiding place to rest. Or in this case..." she gestured to the entrance, "...a cave. So, I figured if a bat was close by, a cave would be too." She looked back up at him, her expression betraying a hint of self-consciousness. "Is it okay?"
At first, Optimus said nothing. He looked from her, to his scanner, to the mouth of the cave, then back to her again. He finally responded by kneeling down and, with the tips of his fingers, he lightly brushed off some of the twigs and leaves that had caught onto her clothes and hair when she ran through the bushes earlier.
"Good job, Ellie," he commended. A faint smile pulled at his lip-plates when an involuntary laugh escaped her from his actions, squirming away a little. "Although, some more forewarning than a mere single word would be much appreciated next time."
"Yeah, sorry," she said with a more bashful laugh as she helped untangle the last of the briar from her hair. "Didn't want to lose sight of the bat. Their flight patterns can be pretty tricky to catch."
"Hmm, I see."
Once finished, they turned their gazes back to the cave.
"So, the energon is somewhere in there?" Ellie asked.
"It appears so."
"Is it safe?"
"By the looks of it, and based on the scanner, it should be structurally sound. Then again..." his optics narrowed, "...that does not mean nothing could go wrong."
"Yeah, don't I know it," Ellie murmured.
"Watch your step, and stay close," he advised her as he straightened.
"Got it."
They entered the cave, the natural sunlight and open space almost immediately being replaced with mineral components engulfing them in shadow. Optimus activated his headlights from his chassis before it grew too dark for them to see. As they drew further in, Optimus noticed that the cave floor seemed to slope somewhat, descending them even more underground. And the deeper they went, the colder and damper the air quality seemed to get; water dripped languidly down from the stalactites.
From somewhere far below them, a low, distant rumbling could also be heard on and off. He was unsure whether that was cause for concern or not, but hopefully they would find the energon before they could find out.
He cast a glance back; the entrance was no longer within sight. Then his optics flickered down to Ellie, who felt a hand along the rock wall beside her as she walked, unbothered by where they were.
Suppressing a sigh, he refocused on the path ahead of them. The tunnel had been gradually narrowing the further down they went, but after a while, the tunnel opened up into a large chamber. Optimus looked down at the scanner when it alerted him again. He focused his lights onto every inch of the cavern, but saw no sign of energon.
"We're close," he said, his voice echoing along the walls. In his peripheral vision, he could just make out Ellie's form moving along the wall toward the other side while they looked around for more clues.
"This is..." Ellie started to say, but however she was going to finish that sentence was then drowned out by another rumbling, more intense than the last. Optimus looked up as dust showered down from the ceiling.
Then, suddenly, there came a cracking sound, followed by a distressed cry that pierced right through Optimus's spark.
He whipped around, his body pitching forward, but Ellie was already gone. Where she was a mere second ago was a crumbled open crevasse leading down, down into a pitch-black abyss.
And in that moment, Optimus knew true fear.
"Ellie!"
A/N- ...Ruh roh
