Last chapter was in Sari's POV, this one is in Firefly's POV.

I don't own Transformers.

Chapter 2: Guardianship

I knew being a guardian requires you do different things. However, I didn't know it would entail this.

We're on Diego Garcia's beach, swimming in the lagoon. So, here's the thing: I didn't even know I could swim. I'm in my link form. My hooves aren't even touching the sand. I feel like those Chincoteague ponies at the famous Pony Swim.

"Firefly," Sari said in a sing-song tone. "This is awesome!"

"Well, I'm glad one of us are enjoying this so much." I snarked.

Bumblebee and Sam laughed from the beach. The slaggers.

"Hey Firefly," Bumblebee called.

"What?" I snapped.

"You ever heard of Misty of Chincoteague? You should look it up."

I did look it up. Oh, no, no.

"You're like the little pony!" Bumblebee shouted again, adding insult to injury. I was not some little sweet pet pony. No, I was not.

I paddled back to the beach. Once it felt sand under my feet, I crashed through the water to get back to them. Once I was on dry sand, it stuck to my wet frame. I was still so gonna get the boys. They were gonna regret laughing and calling me a pony. I reared up in front of them and slammed my front hooves into the ground.

"Woah!"

"Firefly!"

"You got something funny to say still?" I glared at them, pinning my ears.

"No, no, no!" Bee shook his head.

"Good." I leaned back on my hindquarters.

"Sari!" Someone shouted. It was Mrs. Lennox. "Come eat!"

"Awh, mom!" She whined. "Firefly and I are having fun."

"Now."

She looked over at me miserably. I cocked my head to the side. "Orders are orders."

"I'm not hungry." She said. So, I jump into the bumpiest trot possible.

"Oh! Ow!" She scrambled around on my back. "I- Oof! Get the point, ouch! Firefly!"

I abruptly stopped. "Good." I transformed to my bipedal form, Sari ending up on my shoulder.

"Woah! Firefly, can you please warn me next time?"

"Sure, sure." I scooped her up and ambled to her mother before setting her down. She gave me a look that said "traitor".

::Firefly, Optimus needs us to track some cons down. He wants you to come with me for backup. The big bots think they found something.:: Bee commed me.

::Tell him I'm coming.:: I responded, transforming to my F-350 mode and putting the pedal to the metal. And, deciding to tease my childhood friend, I added. ::Also tell him I'll bring the pint sized bot back in one piece.::

::Oooh, you slagger.::

::That's what you get for calling my a pony!::

::I'm telling Prime.:: 'Bee whined.

::Tattler.:: I hissed back as I pulled into the hangar and transformed to my bipedal form to met Bumblebee so we could leave. Wheeljack fiddled with the space-bridge controls. He made it, and I still don't entirely trust it; It's gonna blow up or something.

"You two ready to go?" The enthusiastic inventor asked.

"Yup." I nodded. 'Bee gave me a sidelong glance.

He opened the portal, which was a bright cerulean blue color. I gestured to 'Bee and we stepped inside. Arriving at coordinates, it wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting a city, not pretty autumn woods.

"Wow." 'Bee looked around with wide optics. "Its actually beautiful."

"Hey, I could blend in here." I laughed as I watched a leaf fall on my arm and disappeared against the orange hues.

"You totally could!" An excited voice exclaimed from behind us.

"Sari!" I scold. "You followed me."

"Yeah!" She nodded, confused why I'd even be upset. "I thought we were besties."

"We are, but-" I glance to the side, then back to her. "But this is dangerous."

"There's no cons yet." She crossed her arms and glared at me. I glanced at Bee, and he shrugged.

"I guess it is just recon." I sighed. Deep in my spark, I felt like something was gonna go terribly wrong.

"It's just recon, she'll be safe with us." Bumblebee assured me when I still looked hesitant.

"Just… stay close to us." I said quietly.

"I promise!" Sari chirped, and we went on our way, scanners and radars searching for anything.

"I don't see anything yet." Bumblebee looked over at me. "Ya think it's just nothing."

"I don't know, lets keep looking." I shook my head. We continue walking through the trails.

"Oof!" Sari exclaimed. I turned around.

"You ok?"

"I just tripped over something."

I get a closer look. It's a cybertronian footprint, a deep one. Whichever 'bot or 'con created this was a big one. I can't tell who's it is.

"Hey 'Bee, come look at this."

"Well, Frag, that's a big footprint." He responded, looking at it.

"I've got a signal." I noted.

"Who?" Sari asked.

"Can't tell. They're masking the better part of their transmitter."

"I'd guess a con." Bee said. "Autobots don't sneak."

"Do you think we'll find out what they want?" Sari asked.

"Bee and I will find out soon. You are going back to base." I tell her.

"But why can't I come?" She shouted stomped her foot.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt!" I shout back.

"That," A voice says from behind me. "Is a huge possibility."

I turned around, glancing at our 'con friend and then 'Bee. I take out my guns, and he does the same.

"Who is this guy?"

"The name's Lockdown." He gave us both a scrutinizing look. "Nice mods. They'll look good on the trophy case. You even brought a pet, how cute."

"Oh. Slag." Bee whispered quietly.

"SARI, RUN!" I scream. "DON'T STOP, JUST RUN!"

She looks tentative. I raise my voice more. "NOW!"

She turns and runs, and Bee and I turn to fight our con.

::I'll attack, you double back and nail him from behind.:: Bee ordered, then he rushes at Lockdown. I double back around, placing myself behind Lockdown. Lockdown steps to the side and Bee hurtles into me.

"Oof!" He exclaimed. I push him off and transform to my link form to catch our fleeing 'con. I get in front of him, rear up and knock him in the head with my hoof. He clatters to the ground in a tangle of metal limbs.

"Think you can outsmart me, eh?" He asked. "I have to say, that's the first time someone got the drop on me in a while."

"Bring it."

He transforms his arm into a massive cannon and points it at me. But then, he hastily changed targets. In that moment, I realize with a sickening realization where he's pointing it at. I knock into him.

"Sari! Keep going!" I call out to her. "Don't stop!"

I scramble up the ridge and gallop to Sari. I transform to my bipedal form and scoop her up, never breaking stride. I put her on some boulders.

"Stay put." I run back to the fight.

Bee is sorely outmatched. I try to jump onto his back, but he spins around and slams his arm into my legs, and I land roughly on my chin and chest. Bee attacks him but then gets knocked into me. Lockdown turns. I try to push Bee off me but he's in statis lock and needs to lay off the high grade. Who knew someone that small could be so heavy. Lockdown digs through some rocks, and takes a small- staff looking thing out.

"Ah, the old Decepticon immobilizer. Its effects are only temporary, of course." He smirked.

"Are you even a con?" I whisper.

"Me?" He laughed. "Slag no. I'm a bounty hunter, but I have worked with Megatron. Your adoptive father would know…"

"What do you mean, that he'd know?" I try to wretch my legs from being pinned under Bee.

"You should ask him, ooh and maybe Arcee." He smiled venomously. My spark stopped for a moment once I watched him turn and cast an optic over where I'd set Sari. "Now, where's your little friend?"

"No…" I whisper, before snarling. "Bee, get the slag out of statis lock! You can dream later."

I free one leg. I turn my gaze to Lockdown's turned back. I try to access my guns, but the transformation circuits are jammed up. I wiggle my other one out from underneath the little yellow bugger, using my free foot to push 'Bee off. I jump to my feet and rush at Lockdown, fist ready to punch the scrap out of him. He turned and grabbed it.

"You really think that you could stand up to me?" He cackled, before kicking my legs out from under me. "You couldn't fight me even if I stood still."

"Don't be so sure." I whisper before grabbing his shoulders and pulling them down and two the side. I grab Sari off the boulder, and run back to Bee. He's sitting up and rubbing his helm.

"I called for backup." He stated.

"Better late than never." I roll my optics. Lockdown gets up, and turns back, pointing a cannon at us. The space bridge opens behind us, and Optimus and Ironhide dash out. Ironhide has those massive cannons trained on Lockdown, and Optimus takes out a sword threateningly. Lockdown fled, running through the woods. Ironhide helped Bumblebee to his feet. Optimus just looks… well, disappointed.

"Firefly, clearly we need to have a talk about how your guardianship duties should look like."

"I wanted to send Sari back, but it was just recon and there wasn't any danger immediately so I thought it would be ok." I turn my foot in the mud.

"Don't get mad at Firefly," Sari spoke up. "I snuck through the space bridge when I shouldn't have."

"Sari, next time, please do not do that. As for you Firefly," Optimus turned his gaze from Sari to me. "Next time, you will send your charge back to base."

"Understood." I respond. I think back to what Lockdown said. "Do you know what Lockdown meant when he told me 'Your adoptive father should know…' when 'Bee asked who he was?"

"As of late, I do not think it would be wise to bring up Lockdown, not while Ratchet is still recovering." Optimus said. Ironhide nodded.

"What is he doing here?" Ironhide asked. I mean, that's a question worth asking.

"I don't know, Ironhide. I'm sure with due time, we will find out." Optimus responded, then motioned us to follow him into the spacebridge.

Back at base, Sara and Will make sure Sari doesn't have a scratch from the whole ordeal. It's funny to watch them fawn over her as she tries to get away. I'm laughing too hard, I think. While her parents are making sure she's still living and breathing, I'm meander to the med-bay. It's always been a place of comfort to me, ever since I was a little sparkling. A small smile forms on my faceplates. It was special because I'd get to go see Dad, that's the human word for him that Sari taught me. I'm what humans call a 'Daddy's girl'. My sparklinghood was anything but traditional, growing up with 'Bee and the twins in the middle of a war. If Dad was completely stuck in the med-bay because of patients, then mom would bring me to go see him. If she was helping him because there was too much chaos for only a couple of medics to handle, then someone else would. Dad did want me to follow in his footsteps and be a medic, but we found out the hard was that my servos weren't exactly…graceful and accurate. So, I opted to fight instead, learning from Mom, and Chromia, and Ironhide. Dad nearly strangled Ironhide when he found out I'd fired off a gun for the first time with Ironhide and no clearance to do that. Chromia and mom bring it up every once in a while. Once I walk in, I see mom trying to keep Dad from getting out of resting. The armor is back on his shoulder and he actually looks a lot better than yesterday. Clearly, mom doesn't think so. First Aid walks in from the supply closet, balancing a few crates. I walk up and take a few from him.

"Thanks, Firefly." He responds. "They'll go over here."

We stacked the crates in the corner. I whispered. "How's it been going?"

"Ratchet is the worst patient ever; he doesn't want to rest." First Aid whispered back with mirth. "Arcee is a bad supervisor too, she's been mother-henning him all day, and I think he's kinda sick of it."

"Oof." I wince with a smirk. "It's been cats and dogs living together all day then?"

He paused for a moment, probably looking up the reference. "Yeah, it has."

"Hang in there." I smirk.

"I've been trying." He deadpanned. "I heard you and Sari had quite the adventure."

"Sh, sh, sh!" I shake my hand at him. "Top secret."

::Lockdown, whoever that is, is back.:: I comm him privately.

::Oh, that's why it's top secret.:: He responds.

::But why is he such a secret?:: I ask.

::Not my place to tell you, its your dad's.:: He said, and adding, almost like an afterthought. ::Although, it's a bit of a sensitive topic, especially for him.::

::Come on, 'Aid, can't ya tell me?:: I start getting a bit frustrated.

::Nope.::

I sigh. ::Fine. I'll ask someone else.::

::They won't tell you either.::

We must've been arguing about this for a while, because mom calls. "Are the two of you going to chat all day?"

"No, Arcee." First Aid responds hastily.

"No. Hey, mom."

"Firefly," She put a hand on her hip. "Where have you been?"

"With 'Bee."

"Doing?"

"A mission."

I swear, Sari can teleport, or is like a ninja or something, 'cause she pipes up beside me. "They fought this 'con and-"

I put my digit over her mouth, she still tried to keep going even though her voice was muffled.

"And we handled it, No harm, no foul." I release her. She nods, getting the point.

"You shoulda seen them," She goes on, imitating the battle moves as best she can. "They were like this!" She spun around, not mimicking when I got the drop on Lockdown well. "And Firefly was like this! And 'Bee was like-"

"They get the point Sari," I tell her, not meanly, just pointing it out.

"Oh!" She looked up at Mom. "It was cool!"

Dad chuckled, sitting up and swinging his legs to the side of the berth, letting them dangle. "I'm sure it was."

Mom gave him a look and he just shrugged.

"Did you know Firefly could swim?" Sari chirped.

"I didn't know I could swim." I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck.

"That was so fun." Sari quipped.

"For you, anyway." I tilted my head to the side.

"You had fun, you just don't know it." She crossed her arms.

"I don't think that's what that was called." I say doubtfully.

"You had fun." She insisted.

"I felt like those ponies on that island where the make them swim across a strait every year." I turned to her.

"Next time they do it, can we go?"

"Sure, sure, we'll go." There's no way she'll remember I promised her this.

"And, its Chincoteague Island, and the annual Pony Swim you're talking about." She said with a point. "I'm going to remind you about promising."

"As long as we don't bring a pony back. I'm not sure how much your mom and dad would appreciate that."

"I'll sucker you into it."

"No, you won't. How would we pay for it?"

"You're right."

"Totally." I smirked.

I was gonna have fun being a guardian. I was gonna have lots of fun. I might even relive the sparklinghood I never really got.

So, the Chincoteague Pony Swim is on my bucket list, I'd love to see it. I also love how Firefly puts the nix on getting a pony.