Arcee POV
We parked at the cliffs with the ocean's waves crashing on the rocks below us. There were trees behind us and the sounds of the birds that flew over head. It was a very picturesque setting, and I knew that Mikaela had chosen a perfect location. We had plenty of space to transform and walk around if we wanted to, and the steep cliffs made a slow gentle slope down to our left that met a small beach that was nice, quiet, and secluded.
Here was a place and time that Autumn wouldn't be under any type of pressure to learn something or act in a specific way. This was perfect for her! As soon as we rolled to a stop, Elita and Chromia both transformed. Autumn opened her doors and after Ravage and Mikaela got out, she was able to transform as well. The first thing Mikaela did was grab her things from my cabin. Then she set about building a rather large, for her, bonfire. Proportionately, it would have been a normal sized campfire to us.
It didn't take long for the flames to begin dancing merrily, and Mikaela promptly began to remove her clothing.
"Mikaela what… what are you doing?" Autumn asked once Mikaela was completely nude.
"I'm changing into my bikini. What? It's not like I have anything you didn't used to have, so I know you've seen everything before!" Mikaela responded wryly.
"Yeah… well what you have looks a whole lot better than mine ever did!" Autumn retorted sourly as she sat down heavily.
Mikaela had been about to put on the bikini bottoms when she heard that. That was when she turned to Autumn and walked over to her still devoid of any clothing.
"Look Autumn. There was a time when I thought I should change a few things about the way I look. I seriously thought that I had made a mistake by telling Sam. Turns out that I didn't. The next day… he was showing me tons of porno sites. Everything from disgustingly huge chests to flat chests that drooped to the woman's waist line. Big noses, feet, hands, long hair, completely bald, toes, piercings, tattoos, large eyes, and… it didn't matter what kind of thing I thought might be wrong with the way I look, there was a porn site for exactly that feature! There was everything from horribly huge to hideously skinny! It doesn't matter what you look like… there are a lot of guys who will find it very sexy." Mikaela told her honestly.
"Even if I was about as ugly as Medusa?" Autumn shot back.
"Autumn… Sam showed me sites that I never imagined, and never, never want to see again! For every webpage about worms or anything else… there are ten thousand porn sites on the internet. There's even alien porn out there, so it wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that some guys are getting off right now on pics of Medusa." Mikaela said seriously.
I watched in silence as Autumn sat down hard. I could tell that she was very surprised at what Mikaela had told her. I had to use the web to find the meaning of some terms that Mikaela had used, and once I understood what was being discussed, I wasn't happy at all.
:I don't think it would be wise to interrupt them just yet. It's pretty clear that Mikaela is telling Autumn something she thinks Autumn needs to hear.: Elita sent firmly.
"Autumn… there's not a girl or woman on this planet who doesn't think there is something about their body that they want changed. There's a reason that plastic surgeons are stupid rich! Besides… it doesn't matter what you used to look like… you're a freakin Ferrari!" Mikaela finished in firm excitement.
I was very surprised when Autumn gave a sort of half smile. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"Hey, look." Mikaela said as she started putting her bikini on. "So you're not a Testarrossa, or an Enzo, you're still a Ferrari, and that means you are better than most of the cars in the world, now doesn't it?"
I could see Autumn frowning as she considered that, but I could see that she didn't actually believe it. "Autumn, if you stop and think about it, you are much better than any car built by humans… because you are alive, and they aren't." I told her, adding to Mikaela's remark.
"Hey, she's got a really good point there! A dragster can outrun you, but it can't out think you, and neither can anything else. I mean come on… you can think faster than anyone ever born!" Mikaela grinned as she finished donning her bikini.
"Maybe you're right." Autumn said softly.
It was obvious that she didn't really believe that, but half sparked agreement was much better than outright denial. I could see right now that Mikaela had no plans to allow Autumn to continue to be the timid sparkling I knew. I was glad to see that. It meant that perhaps Mikaela could be included in Autumn's treatment. Rebuilding the self-confidence of Autumn would not be easily accomplished. After seeing that confession from her sire, she knew that helping Autumn would not be an easy or rapid thing, but by Primus it would be accomplished!
"I know she's right, Autumn. Human built machinery isn't able to think at all, and now that you are a Cybertronian, you'll be able to think much faster than a human. You'll live hundreds of times longer than they will, so you will learn far more than any human ever can." Elita stated gently but in a firm tone.
"Okay, now I'm really jealous!" Mikaela almost shouted. "All you have to do is hear something one time… just one lousy time… and you know it! All you have to do is pull the information up just like you'd do on a computer at school and there it is. I've got to wrack my brains to learn something new, and there's still a chance that I'll forget it!"
"I didn't ask to be changed into this… I swear I didn't!" Autumn almost wailed as she reached out and grabbed Ravage, pulling the Cybercat in to her lap.
"I'm sure you didn't Autumn, but that still doesn't change who you are. Yeah, you look a lot different… you're a Cybertronian now, and you're a freakin Ferrari! What's not for me to be jealous of?" Mikaela answered instantly.
"I… I don't know." Autumn said softly as she sat for a few moments while stroking Ravage.
:Don't interrupt them just yet; let those two continue to talk. Mikaela is actually trying to help Autumn, and she's doing a marvelous job so far, because Autumn is now being forced to compare herself with the human she used to be. Such a comparison can only turn out favorably.: Chromia sent firmly.
"At least you still get to eat real food." Autumn groused sullenly.
"Maybe, but I still have to worry about getting fat, getting diabetes, or a thousand other diseases that can't be cured. You? You won't get fat, you'll be here long after my great, great, grandkids are dead and gone, and you've got friends that will stick by you for thousands, if not millions of years! Sounds to me like a fair trade." Mikaela said disgustedly.
"If you say so." Autumn muttered.
Chromia POV
"I know so!" Mikaela shot back. "Now, we came out here for a Girl's Night Out, and to have some fun! This isn't a 'Pity Party', and I'm not going to let it turn into one. Party Poopers aren't allowed, and you're staying! That means you have to start being a little happier. Oh, by the way, you heard about the moron's new invention didn't you?" She asked with a sly grin.
"No… what was it?" Autumn asked curiously.
"A solar powered flashlight! No batteries or anything to wear out." Mikaela answered quickly.
"I don't think I'm understanding this correctly. If there is no way to store the energy produced by the sun, then how does it provide light when you need it?" Elita asked in real confusion.
I couldn't help but agree with her confusion, it made absolutely no sense at all. If the sun is shining, then why would you need an additional but much smaller light source?
Mikaela and Autumn both looked at each of us before turning to gape at the other. Autumn started making some very strange noises, and she let go of Ravage to place her servos over her mouth.
"Autumn, are you alright?" Arcee asked immediately in concern.
That was when Autumn fell backwards onto her back with her doorwings splayed out and started laughing… hard! I looked over at Mikaela intending to ask what was going on, only to find that she was also twitching with laughter. I looked over at Elita and Arcee to see if they understood what was happening, but they looked just as confused as I was. That was when Mikaela sat down holding her stomach while laughing even harder.
It took them a few minutes to get control of themselves, but once Autumn was finally able to speak with out laughing, she looked over at Mikaela.
"The joke wasn't all that funny, but their reaction is!" Autumn howled before she was kicking her pedes because she was laughing so hard. The strange thing was, Mikaela was doing the same thing.
:Don't say anything yet; I want to see how long we can keep Autumn laughing. Apparently our confusion over this joke is something she is finding hilarious, and I want that to continue. So look even more confused if you can.: I sent quickly to the other two.
The other two femmes took that suggestion to spark, and immediately adopted expressions that were completely lost. I altered my own expression to match theirs, and that's when Autumn started laughing even harder!
"Since it was obviously a joke, would one of you please explain it to us?" I asked in what I hoped sounded like exasperation.
"Well Chromia, a moron is an idiot, an imbecile, or basically someone who's too stupid to know much of anything. That's why they come up with something that is absolutely useless. Like ejection seats for a helicopter… people lost their heads over that one." Mikaela told me wryly.
"That's gross!" Autumn complained loudly.
"I suppose it is, but then most jokes are either gross or sick in some way." Mikaela told Autumn. "Now, let's head down to the beach and catch some sun. The weather back home isn't good for getting a tan right now."
"But I can't get a tan… can I?" Autumn protested.
"No Autumn, you can't get a tan. We Cybertronians don't get tans, but we can still benefit from exposure to natural sunlight. Just as humans convert sunlight into vitamin D, we convert sunlight into a form of energy that helps to revitalize and repair our systems. Humans are able to get too much sunlight, but we can't." Elita told her quickly.
"That means you can't get a sunburn either, doesn't it?" Mikaela demanded before turning to Autumn with a mild glare.
"You are one lucky bitch!" Mikaela told Autumn flatly. I was about to come unhinged on Mikaela when the human femme continued.
"You'll never have to deal with a sunburn. You'll never have to try getting a top on red peeling skin. Never have to shave your legs when they're already so sensitive to touch that even a pair of jeans hurts. No more head colds or allergies or anything! Then, on top of everything else, you're a one hundred thousand dollar car! If that isn't lucky Autumn, then you tell me what is!" Mikaela said firmly.
Autumn simply looked at Mikaela without saying anything. Not that there was anything she could say or do to dispute what the young woman had told her. I had to admit, that Mikaela's tactic was vastly different from what we were planning, but I could see where it would help. Mikaela was illustrating differences in Autumn that made her physically better than a human. It seemed strange, but I could see where Mikaela's method could actually work. That, once combined with the subtle reinforcement we would be using could be of great help to Autumn.
Mikaela POV
"Come on… let's head down to the beach and catch some rays." I said as I turned to my left and headed down the hill farther away from the base. I could hear Autumn and the others following me as the cliffs got shorter until they smoothed out into a nice sandy beach.
This was the perfect place to get a tan! It was a nice wide beach with fine white sand, the sounds of the waves crashing against the cliffs off to the right, and completely secluded. Hell I could even do some sunbathing if I really wanted to, but I wasn't too sure if one of the others would object to me lounging around in my birthday suit.
I spread a large beach towel out and started applying some tanning oil. The blue one, Chromia, started laying out some large tarps that would do the same thing for them that a beach towel did for me. I only had one bit of a problem… that stupid cast on my right hand. It only goes half way up my forearm, but it's going to ruin a perfect tan! It was right then that I realized I had another problem… I had no way to put any tanning oil on my back. I looked at the others and saw just how large their hands were. It didn't look like it was going to be an easy thing for any of them.
"Um… can one of you help me put some of this oil on my back?" I asked as I looked up at the others.
"I suppose I can. What do you need me to do?" Elita asked me.
I explained what I needed and Elita spread the tanning oil on my back. She was very gentle about it. It only took her a couple of minutes before she was done. When she finished, I laid down on my towel with my head towards the center of the circle that Chromia had arranged. We were all on our stomachs so that we could look at each other while we talked. We lay there for about an hour without speaking though, because we were all enjoying the sun.
"Autumn… tell me, what's the best memory that you have?" Arcee finally spoke as she soaked up the sun's rays.
"I don't know if it was a few of the times I had with Blue or the memory of my mother singing to me." Autumn answered after a minute or two. "What's yours?"
"I think… I think I'd have to say meeting you, Autumn. Because the mere fact that you exist proves that there is hope for a future, and for a very long time any future I could look forward to seemed to be very bleak." Arcee replied easily. "What about you Chromia?"
"Well… I have quite a few memories that I treasure; bonding with Hide, and taking care of various sparklings before the war. Finding out that we have a new world to call home after the devastation of Cybertron. Getting here and finding out that there is a youngling waiting for us? All of those can be considered good memories." Chromia said with a smile.
"I'm not really sure what my most cherished memory is because I have quite a few of them. I do plan on adding more to the list though, and I am hopeful that Autumn will become a part of them." Elita stated.
"Amen sister!" I exclaimed quickly. "Autumn went through enough hell that I saw for her to need some good memories to look back on."
"I… I have some good memories." Autumn protested. "Almost all of them are from here on this island though." She added quietly.
"What pleasant memories do you have from before you got here?" Arcee asked.
"I remember my mother singing to me. I remember her face, her soft beautiful smile, and her wonderful voice. One day, I remember giving her a small white flower that I'd picked, and her telling me what a sweet girl I was. That… that was right before my father killed her by hitting her until she died. I remember how much blood there was… it was everywhere and all over me too." Autumn told us softly. "I think I was four when that happened."
Holy Crap! That bastard had said that he'd made her watch while he killed her, but I didn't know she remembered it! Talk about messed up! A little kid shouldn't even watch a murder flick and no one should have to watch one of their parents get murdered like that! I thought angrily.
Looks like Autumn's life was even more messed up than I figured. That was something that was going to change, and I knew that the bots would help.