Kinetica POV
Autumn had stared at Jazz and the twins in a state of shock for several minutes. I think she would have continued to do so for quite a while, but Mikaela put a stop to it.
With an evil grin and a wicked gleam in her eyes, Mikaela stood up near Autumn's right hand and knocked on it with her cast. The rapid series of clangs quickly got everyone's attention. Autumn slowly turned her head to look down at her sister.
"Earth to Autumn!" Mikaela called out. "You didn't blow a fuse, did you? Wouldn't want your face to get stuck like that." She added seriously after Autumn had looked at her.
I had to laugh. Mikaela knew exactly how to elicit a smile when she wanted to.
"Actshaley, her face really can get stuck like dat. Ain't easy ta do, but it can happen!" Jazz said with a snicker.
"You might want to be careful then Autumn. That doesn't sound like fun." Mikaela quipped.
"You're right. That doesn't sound fun at all." Autumn muttered morosely.
"I've never had my faceplates stuck, but I've seen it happen." Sideswipe stated with a laugh. "It was kind of funny, because the mech had this scared expression on his face at the time it happened, so it was still there when the match was over and he won."
"Yeah, I remember you laughing for almost an orn!" Sunstreaker quipped.
"Hey! I only laughed when I saw his face. It was stuck like that for a long time." Sideswipe countered.
Autumn POV
I watched Sunstreaker and Sideswipe pull their swords back into their arms. I was really surprised by those things… they are huge!
I look down at Mikaela who seems to think all this is funny. I guess to her it would be. I mean, she isn't scared of very much. That voice had always scared the slagging pits out of me, but even seeing what that voice really looked like didn't stop her! She was there! I… I could feel how scared she was, but that didn't stop her. Mikaela never let anything stop her! It didn't matter how scared she was, or when that voice threatened to kill her… Mikaela didn't stop!
When she was always hanging out with that bitch Sharon, Mikaela had just ignored me, like I wasn't even there. She wasn't mean to me, but she wasn't nice either. She just never said anything to me one way or the other. She doesn't ignore me anymore, because she cares about me! Mikaela got hurt a couple of times because she was trying to help me! She even said that breaking her wrist in my defense was worth it! That's… that's not something small, like a black eye or a bruise either. She slugged that bitch so hard she broke her wrist! Then, even before that thing threatened to kill her, Mikaela only got slagged off. While Mami and the others were fighting that thing, Mikaela was rubbing my back and telling me how everything was going to be fine. It didn't matter how scared I was, or how mean and nasty that voice was, Mikaela was still there to help me.
Looking down at my sister made me think about things. Mami said that she showed up earlier than she planned because she wanted to help me, Jazz likes me, Mikaela cares about me, and I know that Ravage loves me. I think Chromia, Arcee, and Elita like me too. Ironhide even said that I was important! I guess they see or know something I don't. Maybe that means I need to start listening to them a lot more.
Ironhide POV
I know I need to keep my mouth shut for now. It seems like every bot on the base is convinced that this Kinetica is the All Spark, but I'm not. Okay so this femme is occupying that big aft frame that Autumn built, that doesn't mean she's the All Spark. I can't tell if she's really the All Spark or just an imposter, but I'm going to be watching. I may not be one of the smartest mechs alive, but I know how to fight. If this Kinetica turns out to be a problem, she'll have to deal with my cannons, and I won't be firing a warning shot! Autumn went through more than enough with her sire and she sure doesn't need someone pretending to be her friend on top of everything else. What me and Mirage put her through only made things worse. That kid has already been through the pit, the last thing Autumn needs is some bot pretending to be someone they're not.
I'm not sure why I seem to be the only bot that doubts her. Maybe the other bots know something I don't. Doesn't matter. I took care of sparklings before the war and I can take care of Autumn now, because that's one thing I know how to do. Sure Autumn has some problems. Her sire treated her worse than the Cons do their prisoners, and apparently the other kids at her school treated her like slag. Then, there was Soundwave rummaging through her processors and made her seem like a total glitch. That don't even count that thing in her head that threatened to kill her. The kid's had it bad, but I know what the score is now. They'll have to take me offline before anything else happens to the kid.
I watch Autumn finish that cube of coffee. Ratch said that she can have that stuff, otherwise she wouldn't be getting it. I know I sure wouldn't let her have it! I do know one thing though. Mikaela just had to have called it right when she said that Autumn was broken. I won't let her stay that way. I don't care what she says. I don't care what she thinks! I don't care what anyone else might say or think either. That little femme shows that there is hope for our future. Cybertron can somehow be made to live again… and Autumn is proof of that!
I still can't get that pit spawned image out of my head! Every time I go to recharge, I see Autumn chained to that pole. She looked like she wanted to die. I'll never forget the way she first looked at me. The terror in her eyes and the fear on her face when she looked at me means that she honestly thought I was going to be just another one of her tormentors. I slagged up… and I slagged up big time! I looked at the frame she was in… I didn't think about who was in that frame! Primus knows I sure wish I had though, because Autumn didn't deserve that from me. She didn't deserve it from Mirage and she didn't deserve it from me either. I will say one thing though… from what I've seen, once Autumn has her struts straightened out, she's going to be dangerous!
Autumn didn't know the first thing about fighting, but she managed to land a hit against Mirage. That's not an easy thing to do! Being cloaked like he was, means that you can't see where he is, but he can see you! She couldn't have known anything about being a bot, but she still listened to what her doorwings told her. That's a good sign, because it means that she pays attention to her surroundings. Then there was that kick she gave me. I'll admit it… she did something that no Con has ever managed to do! She got the drop on me! Twenty yards away and she moved faster than anyone except Blurr.
Autumn is learning how to drive from the Terror Twins. I don't much like those two, but they are great at three things… driving, close quarters fighting with a weapon, and making some incredible high grade! With those two teaching her to drive, she'll be one of the best; no doubts there. Jazz is teaching her how to fight hand to hand. He's the best there is at that. I know Chromia plans to show her how to use a pair of cannons, and instruct her in using them in combat. Add her temper in that mix, and the Cons won't have a slagging chance! She'll be a femme to be proud of and there can be no doubt about it. I just hope she'll give me a chance to work with her.
Autumn POV
I finished my coffee and set down the empty cube. That's when Mami picked me up and held me on her side again. I reached out and picked up Ravage while Mami grabbed Mikaela and put her on my right shoulder.
"Come on you two. I want you both to have a shower before bed." Mami told us.
"Sounds good to me, but I'll need someone to wrap my cast." Mikaela answered.
"There shouldn't be any problems with removing it just long enough for you to take a shower. As long as Autumn is with you, I'm sure you won't be doing anything to strain your wrist." Ratchet said as he looked straight at my sister.
Ratchet was glaring at her when he said that, and he wasn't perfectly nice about it either, but Mikaela just smiled at him.
"Both Autumn and I will be with Mikaela in the wash racks. I have a lot of solvents and extra lubricants that I need to remove, so the three of us can shower together." Mami said while looking at Ratchet with her optics narrowed.
"It sounds like you have it all planned out. What do you intend to do about Ravage?" Arcee asked with a light smile.
"Oh… Ravage is going to be taking a shower too! So you won't need to worry about her." Mami smiled.
I know Ravage can understand English and I know that cats don't like getting wet, but Ravage acted like nothing was different.
Ratchet and Arcee followed us to the med bay where Ratchet cut Mikaela's cast off. Then he handed me her back pack and grooming supplies.
"I don't want her lifting this with her right hand, so I'm handing it to you. Make sure she doesn't use that hand for very much!" Ratchet told me in a mean tone.
"I'll make absolutely certain that she doesn't use her right hand for anything except bathing." Mami said seriously. She had a smile when she said it, but I think she was warning Ratchet about something.
Mami carried all three of us into the… well I guess you'd call it a dressing room since there is nothing but a bench and some lockers. Mami put me down while she stood up so she could remove her armor. Mikaela just stood up on my right shoulder and stripped. It only took a minute before her shorts, T-shirt, bra, and panties went fluttering down to the bench. She even took off the ace bandage wrap on her left ankle. Some of her clothes landed on my right thigh, but I didn't mind because she's my sister now and she wasn't throwing stuff at me as an insult.
I turned my helm to look at her and with her right there on my shoulder, I could have seen every mole and freckle on her body… if she'd had any, which she didn't. I felt a little jealous because her body was a lot better than the one I'd had. Then a loud series of clangs had us both looking down.
"Wow! I couldn't strip that fast if I was only wearing a robe!" Mikaela said softly when she saw that Ravage had simply dropped all of her armor at once.
"I guess that's how to get naked fast!" I muttered in surprise as I stared at Ravage.
Mami started to chuckle. I loved the sound she made when she laughed or chuckled. It was almost like music to me. "The only reason Ravage is faster at that then I am, is because she's smaller and closer to the ground."
"Autumn… it's not necessarily a good thing for a woman to be able to strip that fast." Mikaela told me seriously.
"Why not?" I asked her since I really wanted to know.
"A woman who can strip that fast will get a reputation for always being ready."
"Ready for what?" I wanted to know.
"Ready for sex Autumn. I know you aren't like that, because as far as I know, the only one you've ever been with out of choice… is Bluestreak!" Mikaela said as she looked me straight in my right optic.
"That's very true Mikaela, your sister isn't like that! I know what's contained in her memories… all of her memories! Even in the process of dying, she never cooperated with any of those who raped her. The only one she has ever chosen is Bluestreak, and she truly loves him." Mami said with a smile.
"Speaking of them… is there any way we can find those bastards?" Mikaela asked angrily.
"Mikaela, unfortunately, there is no way to prove what they did. It is possible to find them, but not to properly punish them in court. Not that I wouldn't love to do so!" Mami replied sadly.
I didn't like seeing Mami sad. She was sad because of what had been done to me, but she was fragged off too. Mikaela was so fragged off that she was shaking.
"Autumn wouldn't even be able to testify against them any more. So they'll get away with it, won't they?" Mikaela asked softly.
I could tell that Mikaela didn't like that idea at all. As long as I never have to see any of them again, I'm satisfied with that. I don't think she is though, Mikaela wants to make them pay… I know she does! I just don't want to see any of them ever again!
"I don't care if they do get away… as long as I don't ever have to see them again, I'm fine with that." I muttered.
"I'm aware of that Autumn, and you don't have anything to be concerned about. I won't go looking for them." Mami told me.
Mikaela POV
Mom gave Autumn a sad smile. Something tells me that she knows exactly how to find those creeps who raped Autumn while she was tied up and helpless to stop them. It just burns me up to know that those bastards are still loose out there. They didn't care how young she was, that she was tied up, or even that she was already seriously hurt. All they cared about was getting their rocks off.
Mom reached out and picked Autumn up so smoothly that I never lost my balance while standing on Autumn's shoulder. Picking up Ravage with her other hand, Mom walked to the giant shower. She handed Ravage to Autumn and started messing with the water.
"Mikaela, I want you to tell me when I have the temperature right." Mom told me.
Mom proved that she knew exactly what she was doing, because she got it right as soon as she turned the water on. I told that it was perfect and she just smiled at me in a way that said she had known what she was doing.
As Autumn entered the spray of hot water, I stepped forward on her shoulder and got under the spray myself. I let the water start pounding on my scalp and cascading down my body for a while as I began to relax. After dealing with that Bitch in Autumn's head, I needed it.
Suddenly I felt someone put their fingers in my hair and start washing it for me. I started to relax and let them continue when I realized that neither Mom nor Autumn had fingers small enough to wash my hair like this. I turned my head to see who was messing with me and saw a small version of Mom standing behind me.
"Relax Mikaela, it's only a holoform. I think this is an excellent use for it." Mom told me with a smile while she kept washing my hair.
Mom kind of treated me like a little baby by giving me a complete bath. The thing is, she also gave me a massage at the same time. She must have squeezed and kneaded every one of my muscles until they were like putty. When she got done with me, she gave herself a bath and was fairly quick about it.
When we finally got out of that shower and went to the bench to get dressed. I felt as weak as a kitten and was trembling like a leaf. I was barely able to get clean clothes on and I needed help from Mom's holoform to do that!
Autumn POV
Mami carried me, Mikaela, and Ravage to a room I hadn't been in. We passed right through a living room that was like the one Prowl had in his quarters and went straight to a bed room. Mami laid down on a bed that was big enough for her to recharge on. Then she laid me on her chest flat on my back with my door wings spread out towards her shoulders. She put Ravage on top of me like she was the first night I met her. Ravage straddled me without hesitating. Then Mami took my sister and placed the girl on a pillow next to her helm.
All three of them slid into recharge but I laid there thinking. I don't know how long I stayed online, but my processors just wouldn't shut down.
'I was human, but now I am a bot. Every one hated me when I was human. Do they still hate me? Am I still the outcast? I am a bot. I am a femme. I am Autumn. I am…'
This mantra kept circling in my processors and running through my helm. I would get to that last part and then what? I don't know what's supposed to come next. For some reason that scared me and I didn't want it to. The only thing I knew to do was start all over again. So I did. This time when I got to the end.
"You are my daughter. You are loved by me. You are loved by Bluestreak. You are loved by Ravage. The femmes care about you a lot. Ratchet doesn't always act like it, but he also cares about you a lot. Jazz likes you and cares about you. Prowl cares about you. The Twins even like you when they don't like many others. Your sister cares about you too, and you know that Autumn." Mami told me softly.
"Go to sleep Little One. No one is going anywhere tonight."
I know Mami is telling me the truth, and some how, that eased my processors so that I could recharge, and that's just what I did.