I sat in the med-bay as usual sipping on the cube that Ratchet had given me. The med-bay had become my indefinite quarters until they could set up a room for me. I personally didn't mind seeing as no mechs in their right mind would hit on me with Ratchet standing there (I.E. the twins Mudflap and Skids whom had just recently arrived). The only problem in my mind was that I was taking up room; sure the med-bay was spacious, but I couldn't help but feel like a burden.
I stared down into my cube of fuel, not for the first time reflecting on my position. About what I was to do, about what they would do with me. The door to the bay opening and the SIC walking in certainly wasn't what I was expecting however, to both my questions and who I hoped was going to walk in that is.
My wings fluttered and sunk on my back. His icy, blue, calculating optics followed the movement before lifting to my own. I noticed his rigid wings, just like mine and Blues-he even had a crimson chevron. He gave a single twitch of his wings and suddenly my optics were on them. Ratchet had downloaded some packet on wing reading into my processors, apparently my kind… Praxians that is, could communicate through their wings.
I was still new at it so I wasn't sure what they were saying, however I did know that the rigid flick from before was a tense greeting. I slowly lifted my own smaller ones and gave a soft timid flick in turn. His optics followed the movement.
"My designation is Prowl, and you are Autumn I presume?"
I tilted my helm nervously and unconsciously flicked my wings up rigidly. I wasn't sure what he wanted, he was making me anxious with that cold calculating look. It was like he was waiting for me to do something stupid so that he could prove a point.
"Y-yes..."
"We were introduced briefly before, I am the SIC- second in command that is." I nodded tentatively not really sure what he wanted. I flicked my wings nervously, his optics again following the movement.
"You give yourself away much too easily."
I frowned in confusion, as I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.
"A Decepticon door winger or a Seeker would know instantly how nervous you are, how timid and prone to getting injured you are."
I looked up at him with wide optics. That's right... he's a more experienced door-winger than I am... He knows the language of the wings just as much as Blue.
I swallowed and tried to hold them still like he was. A smirk graced his features telling me I was epically failing.
"M-much t-to wo-work on?" I stuttered out. He dipped his helm to me.
"Yes. Optimus has designated me to be your teacher. You are to obey me at all times, understood."
My optics were wide, a shaky nod was his only answer, but that was apparently all he needed. He dipped his helm to me and then he was gone again. That was when it hit me… the Second In Command was going to be my teacher! I was done for… I knew it. I think the only reason I didn't have an all out panic attack right there and then, was because he had left. I already knew we were on an island out in the middle of an ocean, and that meant there was no where for me to hide from him. That alone scared the slag out of me.
"Holy frag... that mech is slagging scary as pit!" I cried out to the empty room, well I had originally thought it was empty.
"You get used to it." I jumped and fell backwards off the berth with a loud clang.
"Slaggit Ratchet!"
XXX
It was nighttime -lunar cycle- when I onlined. I looked around blearily and found myself to be alone, it was dark and silent. I quietly sat up and slid from the berth. Maybe I can test out my wheels...
A slow grin crossed my lip plates at the thought. Ever since I had gotten my alt mode, which was only two days ago, I hadn't gotten to test it out. I had the information packets from Ratchet, but he didn't want me to test it out until I had somebot to go with me.
Now I realized it would probably be Prowl, and if that scary tight aft mech was going with me I wanted to make sure I could drive first and then go. I mean, who knows if I'll have to run... err… drive away really fast or not?
I knew my logic was flawed, but I really wanted out and driving gave me the perfect excuse. With quiet steps I slowly maneuvered my way out of the med-bay and into the halls.
I glanced around and didn't see anyone, so with the cautiousness of a mouse, I slowly made my way to the main hanger using the route that Blue had shown me. Once there I made sure no humans could see me before moving out into the sands.
The island air was warm; the salty tang was something I hadn't tasted in a long time. Even as a sentient alien machine it was appealing. My vents were filled with the scent, my optics dimming in pleasure.
There was something about the outdoors that had always called to me. Every place was so different! Every place so unique! A smile graced my lips as I reluctantly onlined my optics to full capacity.
Trudging through the sands in silence, I made my way to the huge tarmac with a long landing air strip that glimmered inky charcoal-gray under the intense blue-black sky. The stars brilliant and shimmering everywhere like the light reflected off the ocean on a warm summer day.
Looking down at the tarmac quietly, I then glanced around one more time with a nervousness characteristic to a puppy doing something it knew it wasn't supposed to. I pushed through my processor looking for the specific command that would activate my transformation cog.
A startled gasp left my lips as I felt my frame folding in on myself. My abdomen crunched inward, chassis and shoulders pushing forward to create the front of the vehicle. My legs bent inward, the wheels popping out from my knees and hitting the ground as my elbows did the same.
My helm tucked into the front of the vehicle, lastly my wings flicked down into the doors of the sleek Ferrari. Experimentally I revved my engine, startling myself with the loud roar it gave off. I revved again and lowered to the ground with a huff of my vents.
Twisting my wheels to get a feel of their range of motion I slowly jerked forward before halting, my engine snarling and rumbling. A gentle croon emitted from me as excitement raced to my tires. I revved once more before hitting the throttle, my tires burning rubber on the tarmac for a brief moment and then I shot forward.
All the while my engine was snarling and roaring like a vicious carnivore on the hunt. I pulled a sharp turn and emitted an excited squeal when I accidentally slid around a planes wing. The sound of a police siren behind me made me stall somewhat. Oh slag no! I gave a snarl of my engine and tore off faster, pushing the limits of how much my systems could take.
I felt surprisingly free, a thrill sweeping throughout my being as I raced away from the cop car in my mirrors. Prowl... I snarled again, engine heating up faster as I raced away from him and tore into the hanger.
I swerved around the few humans that were up at this hour and transformed in front of med-bay. I could hear the sound of heavy pede falls behind me. Running into the med-bay I quickly slipped into a berth and pretended to be asleep.
I had never had so much fun in my entire existence. The med-bay door slammed open as the SIC came through, a snarl on his lips as I looked up blankly.
"What makes you think you can practice out there? Then you have the audacity to run from me!" I sat up and lifted one wing in a shrug.
"I was practicing." His optics narrowed dangerously. A part of me piped up at the idea that maybe I shouldn't slag him off, but I brushed it off as paranoia.
"You do not practice without someone there to watch you!" He snarled at me.
He was livid by now, but I couldn't bring myself to be meek. Instead I did something I had never done before in my life. I stood up for myself.
"I'm an adult! I can take care of myself! Oh I'm sorry Prowl, Oh so sorry that I didn't ask for your permission!" I could hear his engine rev, his wings rising up and framing his face in a harsh 'V' shape.
"You are not acting like an adult; you are acting like a spoiled sparkling." He snapped it angrily making me bristle.
"Why should I listen to you?!"
"I'm the Second In Command! I give orders under Optimus Prime as his appointed SIC and helm tactician! You will listen to me!"
My optics narrowed, wings flicking tensely. "No." His optics narrowed dangerously yet again. I wasn't gonna listen to this mech, no matter how much he yelled and screamed at me. He reminded me of all the people whom had ordered me around all my life, and I was sick of it.
"What?" His voice was calm and chilling.
I knew I shouldn't have pushed any further than I had. I mean for Primus sake, he's my appointed teacher; but I just had to do it.
"I don't listen to slaggers like you." I saw the way his lip plates pressed together and I knew it was bad news. His gleaming crimson chevron made him look even more angry, even more dangerous.
I suddenly realized why he was the second in command. Oh slag... I've been talking to the SIC... like... like that? Oh no...
I looked up at him wearily and held my wrists up in a cuff pose. My door wings were shivering and had sunk low on my back, my resolve long gone under that stare.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done it." My words were but a whisper as I ducked my helm. It was silent for a few minutes before I felt servos wrap around my wrists. I flinched and looked up wearily to see Prowl, staring at me with an intense expression that could rival Ratchet.
"Brig. Now."
His tone was cold, his expression was neutral again. I didn't know what the Brig was, but I found out soon enough. It was a place I never wanted to go ever again.
XXX
If a robot could sulk I would be the perfect example, cause I was getting to that point. A pout adorned my lips as I glared at the floor. Damn Prowl and his fragging rules... I didn't do anything... okay so I ran from him, shoot me!
I scowled, baring my denta at nothing really. My wings flexed and my armor puffed up with a flare, distantly I thought it reminded me of a dog raising its hackles.
The sound of a door opening and closing was what caught my attention. I looked up silently to watch the new twins, Mudflap and Skidplate, being dragged into the brig by Ironhide. He threw them, literally, into different cells.
I felt my wings quiver in slight apprehension as those intense indigo optics landed on me. If I didn't know any better I'd say that they softened just the slightest bit, before the gruff warrior mask came back to hide the look.
He snorted and stormed out leaving me with the immature horrors that had been plaguing me since the week started. A groan left my lips as one of them- Mudflap? -I thought distantly, opened his mouth plates.
"Hey look Skids, it's tha' perty femme!"
"Well I'll be slagged!"
"Eh, sweet thang!" I swear if he so much- A long low wolf whistle left his lip plates before I could finish the thought. Anger burned within me along with disgust.
"Shut it!" I snarled aggressively.
"Oh Fis'ey!"
"S'e li'es us!"
"Li'es me ya twit."
"Shut it! No femme wo' li'e ya ugly aft!"
"We're twins stupid!"
And so the bickering begins. I thought bitterly. My optic twitched as anger filled me to the brim. When I get out of here Prowl is so dead!
The sneer that adorned my lips I know could not have looked very nice. The snarl that followed after rumbled throughout the brig, my optics glowing brilliantly.
The twins were thankfully silenced, but not for long. When they weren't bickering and acting like complete morons they kept trying to hit on me. When I get out, I'm gonna kill them. I thought darkly.
A part of me knew I shouldn't think like that, but the other part crooned and fueled the flame with images fit for the Devil's warped mind. A cruel smile curling my lips.
Neutral POV
Door wings tensed as Prowl paced the hanger, his optics dark in thought. Luckily for the humans they kept out of his way or else he might of stepped on them, as he was so engulfed in his thoughts he didn't register they're presence.
"Prowl-" Optimus began.
"With all due respect Optimus, why did you pair me with the femme? She is insubordinate and I swear to Primus that she does not comprehend what a chain of command is!" He whirled around to stare at Optimus, his wings tense with faint quivers.
"She is illogical!" He spat in the looming silence. Normally he wouldn't act like this to his leader, but it was times like this that he couldn't take the stress. It was The Ark all over again, but one femme instead of the pit-spawned duo.
"Prowl." Optimus rumbled in a warning tone. Prowl paused and looked up at Optimus wearily, as if just realizing whom he was speaking with.
"I apologize for my outburst, but I do have enough evidence to prove that perhaps she-"
"She is young Prowl. She is not familiar with a chain of command seeing as she has never been part of the military."
"That does not excuse her behavior." He hissed quietly. His optics on Optimus'.
"Be patient with her old friend, she has been through much."
"We have been through much as well and you do not see us acting like sparklings." Optimus sighed and pinched the bridge of his olfactory-senses. His SIC had a point, a very valid point. He couldn't deny that.
"Have you looked at her files?" Optimus finally said once he was sure he had his temper under control. His voice sounding every bit of being weary as he felt. Prowl sighed and shook his helm.
"No sir. I have not."
"Look into her files and then come speak to me. You will then have a much better understanding of her motives." It was times like this when Optimus wished Smokescreen was here.
Prowl gave a curt flick of his wings and turned to leave. He knew a dismissal when he heard one.
"Prowl." He paused and turned to look at Optimus respectively.
"I chose you for a reason; I trust you will find that reason soon enough." Prowl frowned and left the hanger. He silently rubbed his crimson chevron, a helm ache starting to pound through his processors.
Carefully walking over and around humans he stalked to his office. He knew that he had data-pads on every bot here on the base, even on the bots who weren't on base yet, so it was only logical to assume he would have information on their newest comrade, Autumn.
Sifting through his extensive files he found the one he was looking for. He paused and for the first time in his long existence he actually felt like he was intruding on someone else privacy. He scowled and pushed the notion from his processor.
It is illogical to think that, it is my job to know everything about everyone. How else would I put them into my statistics and decide who to put into what post in battle? Prowl thought calmly, pondering his own rhetorical question. He onlined the data-pad silently, the blue screen lighting up and filled with Cybertronian text.
Designation: Autumn
Function: Unknown
Faction: Autobots
Gender: Femme
Height: 15.5 ft. (4.6990 M )
Weight: 500 lb's (226Kg 796.17g)
Alt: Ferrari Dino Concept
Coloration: Green.
Accents: white and black.
Medical data: Unstable conscious. Possible mood glitch. Signs of past neglect, severe physical abuse.
Suddenly Prowl stopped reading his optics focused on the medical data. Neglect... abuse? He felt something heavy weigh down his spark, his tank churned uneasily.
Prowl's battle computer came online to filter the emotions so that he wouldn't glitch. Optics focusing back on the data in front of him he slowly walked around his desk and sank into his chair.
History: Not much known. Sire is an alcoholic, carrier not around. Assumption: Carrier offline.
Prowl frowned at that. Her carrier had offlined, and the medical standpoint showed evidence of abuse and neglect. Did her sire take it out on her? He felt a familiar rage sweep through his spark for a moment before his battle computer filtered it out.
His optics narrowed dangerously. It would be safe to assume that if such is the case, it would explain her reactions in the med-bay. It would also explain why she was so hostile towards me. Another frown on his part and a tense flick of his wings before his optics zeroed back in on the scrawling Cybertronian text.
Autobot Ratchet scanned memory cog while femme Autumn was in stasis. Found numerous video files of abuse: mental, emotional, physical. Found forming glitch.
Prowl winced internally, he wished a glitch on no bot. He and Redalert were prime examples of more... severe cases. Redalert more so than he. Those were the only things written about her history if you could call it that.
Prowl himself had been abused as a sparkling before the medics found out what his creators were doing to him. Luckily he had been taken by the Praxus enforcers and put into a Youth Sector before the damage could get too bad, but he had still ended up with a glitch.
He frowned to himself. Had the femmeling not escaped very quickly? Had she still been in her sire's clutches until his fellow Autobots found her? The idea did not sit well with him.
"Finally take da initiative an' read 'er file Prowler?" He scowled at the 'nick name' and looked up to see his long time friend leaning in the door way to his office.
"First off: my designation is Prowl, not Prowler. Secondly: I have the right to know about the bots under my command." His voice was cool, calm, and as always calculatingly collected.
"Prowl. She ain't some regular bot. Ya read 'er file. You know it, an so do ah." Prowl stared at his long time friend, Jazz, as he stalked into the room. He shut the door and dropped his accent, he only ever did that when he was being completely serious.
"She isn't some bot that can be ordered around. It took Bluestreak a month to even gain enough of her trust to allow him to touch her servo. She's a special case, like old Redalert is." Prowls expression didn't change, his irritation creeping out through his vocal cords.
"I do not give special treatment to any bot Jazz."
"So you're going to treat her like every bot else? You're going to pretend that she hasn't gone through what you did? That's cruel even for you Prowl, and you know it! You're supposed to teach her how to be an Autobot! How, pray tell me, are you going to do that if she's fragging scared of you!"
Prowl stood up and slammed his palms onto his desk, the metal trembling and leaving sizable dents. His optics were narrowed on Jazz, his best friend and TIC.
"She is not 'scared' of me and she will learn very quickly how to follow orders, or so help me Primus the brig will become her permanent quarters." Jazz visor suddenly became brighter, illuminating the bottom half of his face plates.
"I'm disappointed in you Prowl. Very disappointed. Until you can learn how to be a proper civilized mech don't bother talking to me; and so help me Primus, if you hurt her any more than she has been I will personally hunt you down and offline you painfully." Prowl stared at his friends back with growing ire.
"Is that a threat?" The growl in his tone couldn't be mistaken, the rumbling of his engine equally as loud.
"Nah, it's a promise." His accent came back into his voice, making him unreadable as ever, but the threat still remained clear. He turned and walked from his fellow black-and-white's office, slamming the door behind him with a finality that rang on many levels.
Prowl turned off the data-pad and slammed it down. He didn't normally get this aggressive, never this... slagged off. It was startling. His battle computer was trying to filter it but couldn't work fast enough.
"Primus, if I do not calm down I am going to glitch." He muttered faintly while rubbing his chevron in an attempt to alleviate the pressure. Blinking, he looked down at the data-pads before him. He had much to work on, and his student still had three jours in the brig left to serve. I might as well get started. He couldn't shirk off on his duties, so with a sigh he picked up the first data-pad and began his work.
Autumn POV
He's a primus forsaken-cold-sparked-glitch-faced-know-it-all, aaaand he's a prick! I thought with a snarl. The twins were trying to beat each other up through the energon bars, much to my immediate amusement and displeasure. Amusement because they were idiots and it gave her a break from their annoying attempts of hitting on her, displeasure because they were still being obnoxious.
"Ya' a gli'!"
"We twins stupid!"
"So! One o' us has ta be t'a glitch!"
"Den i's you!" I sighed and face palmed my servos. I had a massive helm ache just from listening to the two idiots. Primus... please strike me down... sadly nothing happened.
I groaned into my servos and let my engine snarl loudly at them. They instantly quieted, but then Skids had to speak.
"Oh babah ya ca' sna' at me anytime!" I glowered at them and rolled onto my side, so my back faced them. I could feel the concrete scuff my armor and strip the paint from my right side, but I couldn't really care less at the moment.
I was sulking in my own self pity. The mech that's supposed to teach me how to be an Autobot was someone that I had managed to piss off... in five minutes I might add. So I knew I was in for it when I got out. He's... he's gonna be really mean and nasty.
My past encounters told me that. He'd hurt me... make me obey. I knew he would, my father always did that, and others had too. Why would he be any different? Perhaps if I just stay quiet and act like I'm no threat, maybe he'll let me be?
The hopeful part of me was squished when I remembered his snarling face, the cruel bite of his words. The gleaming crimson of his chevron and the pristine white armor. The intensity of those optics... so... intense... like my father's eyes when he was inebriated. I shivered and let out a small keen.
"Why should I listen to you?!"
"I'm the Second In Command! I give orders under Optimus Prime as his appointed SIC and helm tactician! You will listen to me!"
I shivered at the memory, his optics... Primus they were intimidating and scary. The red chevron didn't help. At least Bluestreak always has a smile to counteract the intimidating look. Prowl is always stoic you can never tell what he's thinking. My wings shivered, another keen making itself known.
Why do I always have to be a bad femme... why do I always have to... to make others upset! All I could think about was his expression and his words.
"You are not acting like an adult, you are acting like a spoiled sparkling." I flinched as his voice permeated my consciousness. He was right. I do act like a spoiled sparkling... I was an irritating nuisance. Did the others find me so? Oh Primus... d-does Bluestreak think that of me?
I couldn't bear the thought. My spark ached with humiliation and anxiety. I lay there I don't know how long, well into the night cycle and past my designated let out. Even the twins got out. Were they just going to leave me here?
I shivered at the thought, but let the idea sink in. I deserved it, deserved to be put in here and forgotten. Primus... I sound like such a whiny glitch. My wings sunk lower on my back as night crawled over the base, causing the brig to become chillier than before.
I shivered as my internal heat sensors tried to online and keep me warm. I shuttered my optics and let myself offline into blessed recharge, sadly it didn't last long. A couple jours later I slowly came back online the sound of soft pede steps.
My wings, one resting on the ground and the other raised up slightly, picked up on the vibrations well before my audio receptors did. I kept my optics offline and allowed my internal programming to take over.
My wings stilled, going tense, as the pede steps came closer. The vibrations seeped into my wings and a picture slowly formed in my processor. It was a simple schematic, but it showed the outline of a mech. He wasn't as tall as some of the mechs, but not short by a long shot.
He was built lean and the schematics showed he was pretty powerful. My frame tensed as the outlined mech stopped in front of my holding cell.
"Autumn."
The calm voice was soft and gentle, a voice I knew very well. I slowly onlined my optics and turned to look at Bluestreak. His grayish armor was a silky silver-blue like a shimmering star. Sunshine didn't do him any justice at all.
I rolled over again paying no mind to my door wings, or my paint. My armor scraped across the ground as the paint on my left side was peeled away. My armor scuffing and probably looking horrible.
"I didn't find you in med-bay and decided to come here and see if you were still in the brig..."
His voice trailed off and for once he didn't ramble. I could see an odd look in his optics, as if he were afraid to say something offensive.
"Why?" I murmured the quiet word, but still it rang in the silence. My door wings sank lower on my back, scraping the ground painfully; but I didn't even care anymore. I noticed the way his lip plates pursed, his optics looking over me with an almost... sorrow tinged look. I wasn't sure why.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was soft, laced in concern.
"Prowl put me in here." I murmured and looked down. My back began to hurt with the way I was twisted. My hip plate on the cold concrete ground, servos balancing me, wings scraping the ground with every vent.
"I know that, but you should have been released jours ago!" He snapped irritably.
I flinched and looked down. "Prowl is probably still slagged off at me..." I could see his bewildered expression; it sent a pang through my spark. I wasn't sure why, but the anger and confusion in his optics upset me more than I already was.
"Come on, you're not recharging in here. You should have been out long ago and Prowl doesn't have the right to treat you like this."
He made to push the button that would allow me about, but I stopped him. My servo slid daintily through the bar being as I was so thin and tiny.
"No... he left me here for a reason, let me stay here until he comes back! I don't want him angrier at me..." I noticed his suddenly very angry expression and quickly jerked my arm back.
The energon bars stung my armored limb, pain flaring through me with a deep throbbing sensation. Scorched metal scented throughout the room as I cradled my arm to my chassis. I looked up to see Blue, his expression made my spark stop.
I haven't seen that angry of an expression in awhile, not since... not since Him. That thought made me inch back away from the door, my wings pulling and scraping painfully and my already scuffed armor getting deep scratches and marks in it.
"I'm going to have a very long talk with Prowl." My optics widened as I tried to reach through the bars to him.
"Blue! Please, don't! I don't want you in trouble because of me, I'm not worth it!" I was on the verge of crying, as I spat the words desperately. In seconds he was crouched down on my level, his servos reaching through the bars and cupping my cheeks.
I could smell his armor burning, but he ignored it. My optics widened at the sudden dangerous look in them, a look I had never seen before. He had always looked so happy, so gentle. He is a soldier. I had to remind myself, I had forgotten that completely. Forgotten that he has killed mechs. A shiver coursed through me.
"You are worth it! You are worth every drop of energon that will be spilt when I protect you from enemies. You are worth every star in the sky and more, worth more than every galaxy. So don't you dare say you are not worth it!"
I shivered and stared up in fear at his suddenly snarling face plates. He pulled his servos away, his armor around his wrists melted and deformed. A sob threatened to leave me, as coolant pooled in my optics. It was all partly from fear of the darker side I had just witnessed and partly from shock as he defended me from myself. He turned and stormed out, his door wings stiff.
Bluestreak POV
Anger surged through my spark, my wings stiff as I stomped from the brig. I had worked so hard to get her to the point where she would trust me, trust the others, and Prowl fragged up every bit of that effort.
I could care less that he was my older brother, that he was the SIC. Nobody, nobody hurt my femme. The look in her optics pained me, shot me straight through the spark as effectively as a cannon. The pain was immense.
Her optics... they held so much fear, her words... oh Primus her words of self deprecation. My servos clenched tighter in my rage, I forced the bond between Prowl and I open. Smokey's I left closed, because I wasn't sure if he was even still online and I knew I wouldn't be able to bear the pain of him being offline.
For a moment I felt Prowl's confusion, then a sense of uncertainty and concern. I felt him push a sense of comfort toward me, trying to get me to calm down, but I refused to accept it. Storming to his office I slammed my fist against the lock, the door swishing open.
"Prowl!" My voice was but a growl, my wings tense.
"Bluestreak." That calm voice that I loved suddenly fragged me off, it brought on an ire that was quite frankly alarming.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" I watched Prowl blink in slight confusion before his expression cleared.
"Ah, yes. I seem to have forgotten our guest in the brig."
My ire grew and shot through the bond aggressively. "What do you mean by guest? She is as much of a part of this faction, this base, as anyone else!" My engine was snarling with a guttural primal noise. I don't think I've ever been this upset, not even over loosing Praxus.
"Bluestreak, get a better attitude before you too end up in the brig for insubordination."
I felt like choking him, strangling him, offlining him and bringing his remains to Autumn to see if it pleased her. I realized with a jolt that my Praxian Mating Cog was online. I inwardly groaned but kept my furious gaze on him.
"It is not a bright idea right now to test me Prowl. Let. Autumn. Out. Now." I bit the words out; my fury could not be quenched. Prowl scowled and sent his own ire through the bond before standing up. His door wings flaring up in a high arch to frame his helm, creating an angry 'V' shape.
"Bluestreak. Stand down."
I snarled at my sibling, at the moment disgust was flowing through the bond toward him.
"No. I will not stand down! Do you know how long I've been working with Autumn to overcome the trauma of her past? You're ruining all of my hard work by being a slagger! You're being no better than the Cons! Why are you mistreating her? She mouthed off to you, so what! Get over it! A lot of bots have done that and you've never treated them like this! Not in the slightest!"
I was heaving for cool air, my systems over heated causing my cooling fans to kick on to their highest setting. Prowl was silent, staring at me as if I had grown a second helm. For a second I felt guilt tinge the bond, but then he clamped down on it.
"Fine."
The word was clipped and cold; it made me all the angrier. As I followed him out. "How long has she been in that cell?" I snapped the words coldly, forcing him to keep the bond open so that he could feel my rage and worry.
"A full solar cycle and half a lunar cycle now."
A snarl graced the hallways from me, humans scattering. "You better hope to Primus that you did not harm her, or so help me..."
Prowl POV
A sense of deja-vu swept through him when Bluestreak growled the words. Prowl frowned, feeling his youngest sibling's rage and worry. He hadn't intentionally forgotten about her, he would never deliberately take out his ire on another bot; especially a femme.
After reading the data-pad he had gotten a few solar cycles ahead on his work, vorns of working on The Ark made him proficient at getting the work done fast. Then he had gone to speak with Prime.
His pede steps made the ground tremble only slightly as we walked carefully around the humans. Stalking into the main hanger, his stiff wings flicking a tense greeting to Prime as he walked over.
"Prime."
"Prowl, did you read the data-pad?"
"Yes sir."
"Her past is quite disturbing, although it is not much different from yours, Smokescreen's and Bluestreak's."
"I am... pensive on the idea that I may have brought forth unwanted memories. I know what a memory loop can do to a bot. My words were unwarranted and unjust toward her, I realize now that she runs off of emotion instead of logic. Logic dictates that I shall have to be more patient with her than most..." He almost missed the faint smile that pressed across Optimus' lip plates.
"It would be wise to move about her for now with caution, until she is used to us that is." Prowl nodded his helm with a sharp jerk. Optimus reached into his subspace and pulled out a data-pad, he handed it over silently.
"Ratchet wishes for you to look over these documents and see if you can come up with a peaceful agreement to get the humans to give us more supplies. He is running low again." Prowl nodded and respectively saluted before moving back to his office.
I had been so busy with his work that I had forgotten about the femme, I was long past being angry and now was faintly worried for her. When I and Bluestreak entered the brig, the two door-wingers walked down the small row of holding cells and stopped in front of one on the left.
I internally winced when he saw her scuffed armor, her delicate wings resting on the ground with her back facing the cell's door. She looked more like a victim of the cons than being stuck in a brig for punishment.
"Autumn." I spoke calmly, ignoring the accusing optics of my youngest sibling. I watched the young femme flinch and curl in on herself for a moment before slowly rolling over to face him.
Her armor scrapped the ground, more green paint decorating the cell. Her dainty door wings scraped the ground hard, just the sight of it made my own door wings ache in sympathetic response. I knew it had to absolutely excruciating, but she didn't even wince.
I reached out and pressed the code to unlock the cell door, the bars disappeared to allow her out. She was quiet and watched him with solemn optics, optics I have seen before. Her optics were those of the many bots that had been broken, a sight that yanked at his spark. That was when she moved back toward the far wall of the cell in fear. Then Bluestreak moved past me and held out his servo to her.
I watched silently seeing her flinch slightly before raising a petite servo to place in Bluestreak's own. My sibling stood and walked past me, his frame blocking the femme from my view.
I huffed softly and pressed a button, the bars flying back up into place. The ringing silence echoing a finality. I have a lot to work on before the femme will trust me. I thought before walking back to his office.
Autumn POV
I shivered and staggered weakly, Blue's warm servos holding me up. Ratchet had mentioned that my body would be weak for a while as it adjusted to the new needs.
Bluestreak brought me to the rec room that the bots had gotten built, half of it was human sized and the other half built to accommodate our kind. He led me over to a table and gently settled me in a chair while he rushed off to get me some energon.
I shivered and looked around wearily. It's the first time I'd been here, I've been stuck in the med-bay since my transformation. A gentle servo stroking across my wing made me jump, but I instantly leaned into the touch. Pleasure shooting through my circuits. Oh... oh now that feels... A soft purr made itself known.
The gentle servo let go of my wing, a cube being placed on the table. I looked up feeling utterly relaxed to see Blue was back. He smiled, amusement flickering in his optics. He had a cube of his own in his servo as he sat down in front of me. He took a sip of his cube as I weakly raised mine up.
I took a sip experimentally, rolling the liquid around my glossa. It was tangy and sweet like fresh blueberries. I swallowed the liquid and took a slightly larger swallow of it. I knew it wasn't very femme like, but Primus was I starving. My tanks were gurgling painfully, while a constant warning kept flashing across my vision.
Warning: Refuel.
Energon levels: 19 %
A grimace twisted my lips, but a gentle servo smoothing over my chevron relaxed me immensely.
"Are you alright?" It sounded like actual concern in Bluestreak's voice.
I looked up into Bluestreak's optics, the gentle blue tone was soothing. I couldn't help but to remember the way he had looked before. The snarl on his lips, his optics a deep angry indigo... I flinched slightly and offered a smile.
"Y-yeah... j-just sh-shaky..." I managed quietly. A brief flash of anger crossed his face, darkening his handsome features, then it was gone just as fast as it had come. Honestly, this new side I was seeing scared me.
"I'm sorry about my brother."
I choked on my energon, coughing as some of it entered my ventilation system.
"Brother?" I ground out in surprise.
"Yeah, Prowl is older than me, but we both are younger than Smokescreen. He's our older sibling. I love Smokey, he's awesome. He plays a lot of gambling games, and he always wins! Prowl hates that though, ya know? He's says that Smokey's a bad influence on me! I always say he isn't, but that's how Prowl is, he's a tight aft."
I giggled softly as he babbled on about his older sibling. I was surprised he had siblings, but warmth filled me when I realized that at least one of his siblings will maybe not hate me. Maybe Smokescreen will like me... I can hope that at least...
I sipped my energon while listening to him go on about Smokescreen's and his occupation. So apparently while Bluestreak was a sniper and interrogator, Smokescreen was an interrogator and a psychologist. Lovely family. I smiled in amusement as he talked and told jokes, I already felt better than before.
"-and then there was this one time where Smokescreen got caught in one of the twins pranks! His face plates were hilarious, of course he got back at them later when he got them to start gambling with him! He managed to win their entire stash of high-grade!"
I wasn't sure what 'high-grade' was, but I got the notion that it was probably their version of alcohol. I laughed softly and placed my now empty cube on the table. Bluestreak offered me the last half of his politely.
"No, I'm fine really!" The look he gave me made my spark beat faster. It was a look of concern and worry.
"Seriously take it, I was just topping off. You've been an entire solar cycle and half a lunar cycle without energon. You need it more than I do."
I tried to deny it again, but he grabbed my small servos between his and wrapped my slender digits around his cube. I looked up silently as he gave me an intense look, like a hawk might eye a rabbit. It was intense and made me... blush?
"Take it." The words were soft and gentle; my resolve crumbling as I begrudgingly took it. He made me take the energon because the fragger knew I needed it. I don't know how, but he did know. I slowly looked down into the cube and back up at him.
"Thank-you..." I murmured softly. He smiled and leaned forward, his warm lips molding against my own for a brief moment.
"You're quite welcome." He flashed me a dazzling smile.
I could get use to being fawned over. I thought quietly, biting my lower lip I took a sip of the liquid. I felt my cooling fans kicked on when I noticed him watching my every movement. He was staring at me intently, his wings not even moving.
It was quite unnerving and yet at the same time exhilarating. I realized that I wanted him to watch me, to inspect me inch by inch. My fans kicked up a notch. Unbeknownst to me, my engine rumbled lowly to him sounding much like a feline purring.
I twitched my wings slowly, his optics following the motion. Swallowing I realized what I was doing. It was a distant alarm in my helm, something primal that told me I was responding to his actions. I wasn't sure what that meant. Suddenly he stood up; I could feel the heat from his armor as he walked behind me, his wing delicately brushing mine.
"I should get you back to med-bay." He rumbled softly. His growling tone was husky and sent pangs of pleasure to my lower regions.
"You're probably right." I breathed softly, oh Primus how his servos worked wonders. They were gently drawing small circles over my wings, my engine purring lowly to him. Suddenly the administrations stopped, his breath huffing over my shoulder.
I realized that he had bent over me from behind, his lip plates grazing my throat. I shivered and let out a faint crooning noise, unconsciously shifting my legs apart. I could hear his groan as he backed off. I looked up semi confused.
An aching need burning between my legs. I grit my denta together and offlined my optics. Primus... o-oh... It was a throbbing heat… one that I had never felt before.
"I'll get you back to med-bay so you can recharge." His voice was clipped and I knew, one look and I knew, that he was feeling the same way. I offered a weak smile and stood, a pang twisting in my abdomen and sinking lower.
"That's a smart idea." I said quickly and stood up. Downing the rest of the cube, I put both of them in the recycle bin and followed after him. He paused in step to allow me to catch up to him, his wing gently rubbing against mine.
Pleasure snipped at me, it was biting and hot, it begged for release. I tried to ignore it the best I could as he lead me to med-bay. He smiled and swooped in for a good night kiss, his lips burning against mine. It was innocent at first, but then he pressed closer.
His hips brushing up against mine, wings flared as he ran his servos over my own wings. The sensitive neural net on them screaming with agonizing pleasure. He gently brushed his glossa over my bottom lip, opening my mouth I allowed him to deepen the kiss.
He pressed even closer somehow until our chassis were pushed together, his servos holding my wrists and pinning them above my helm. My vents hitched softly when he shifted, our hips accidentally grinding together. I moaned lowly into the kiss and pressed for more, but he quickly backed off with a surprised look. I was panting, fans kicked up to as high as they would go.
"I'm sorry Autumn, I didn't mean-"
"You didn't mean to kiss me?" I whispered softly, my spark twisting.
"No, I'm not taking that back because I did mean that kiss. I'm apologizing because you're still too weak at the moment to be doing this and I was forcing you-" I suddenly smirked and pushed up against him, my arms wrapped around his hips while my face plates snuggled into his chassis"
"You weren't forcing anything." I could feel his nervous chuckle reverberate softly as he hugged me back.
"Maybe when you're not so frail alright?"
I scowled at being called weak, but I knew he was in the right to say that. "Kay..." I murmured it softly. He smiled and gently kissed my lip components and then backed off.
"Recharge well my spark."
"Recharge well." I answered softly while watching him walk off. I stared at his door wings, I couldn't help it. He held them so high, like a male bird displaying his bright feathers for the females.
The way they kept flicking and moving, catching the fluorescent light perfectly. I felt that need rise again and quickly shook my helm to disperse the fog.
What just happened? I thought as I turned and walked into med-bay. With a shaky sigh and a shake of my helm, I curled up on 'my' berth and fell into recharge swiftly.
Khalthar's Notes: I realize that if you compare this version to the original "Blue Autumn" posted by Dawn Racer, you will find far fewer chapters. That is because I have been editing and combining them into much longer chapters than they originally were. Sometimes as many as four short ones, to make one decent one. This is actually two chapters with the first, being very short, so I added it to the next. Please leave a review to let me know what you think of this. The Authors of this site do not get paid anything except a review. So the long hours of writing, rewriting, editing, and planning involved are not compensated by anything more than a review left by those who choose to do so. A few simple words is not so much to ask in return for the hours of reading pleasure that you the reader receives. Thank you.