I have a poll on my profile page asking a question I really want to have answered. I'm trying to get as many answers as I can, and very few people visit my profile. I've gotten literally one answer in a week, and that's sad. Please answer, and be honest about it.

I only own my OC's!

DARKNESS RISING PART TWO

"And since you now know of our existence, I fear that as of last night, the decepticons know of yours." Optimus continues from his earlier conversation. Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee are standing in some sort of semi-circle, looking at us. Ratchet has his back to us, seemingly more focused on a machine.

"Got it, if we spot any strange vehicles, call 911. Can we, go now?"

My jaw drops. I may be extremely shy, but that was uncalled for. "Are you insane?!" I half-yell.

Miko's eyes about pop out of her head. "We are living a dream here in bot-swana, and I will not allow you or anyone else to shatter it!" Miko protests, placing her delicate hand on my shoulder.

"It is best that you four remain under our watch, at least until we can determine or enemy's intentions."

Ratchet then comes and stands right next to him. "Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger, here, as anywhere."

"Children?" Jack questions, offended. We all are.

'We are NOT children! For crying out loud, I'm the world's last hope of ever being peaceful again!'

"They have no protective shell! If they get underfoot, they will go…squish." Ratchet stomps his foot towards us. Jack, Miko, Raf, and I all take a step back.

"Then for the time being Ratchet, we must watch where we step." Optimus motioning down at us with his hands.

'Well thank you captain obvious!'

Suddenly an alarm goes off and the two Autobots turn in different directions. Ratchet then walks forward to the massive main computer as the others look at the green screen. "What's that?"

"It's a proximity sensor."

Of course, Jack and Miko can't understand, so Raf briefly explains. "Proximity sensor, someone's up top." Raf gestures upwards.

"It's Agent Fowler." Ratchet sounds quite grim.

Miko and I exchange glances. "I-I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys?"

'Wow, loads of questions today.'

"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world. As he tends to visit only when there are…issues. It may be best if you do not meet him at this time."

Raf runs over to where the computer is and Bumblebee stands in front of him. Jack and Miko run off as well. I look around and finally duck under the computer without a second to spare.

"Seven wrecks, thirty-four fender benders, a three hour traffic jam, and a particular note, numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle, of unknown make, and a black and yellow custom muscle car." Agent Fowler is very clearly angry. "So, anything you care to get off your tin chest, Prime?"

"We have the situation under control Agent Fowler."

"They're back, aren't they?"

"If you are referring to the decepticons, I have doubts that they ever left. Your planet is much too valuable."

'Earth? Valuable? It's just a planet filled with dirt and spirits, how is it valuable?'

"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon."

'This guy really needs to learn some respect.'

"Hear me, Agent Fowler, we are your best, possibly you're only, defense against the decepticon threat."

'Yeah, you tell him Optimus!'

"Says you."

"Hey fleshy, did anyone get splattered on that freeway?" Bulkhead picks up this strange machine. It looks like alien tech. "Team Prime knows when to use force," He starts squeezing the device he is holding. "And how much to use." He places too much pressure on it and the machine breaks, giving off blue sparks. I stifle a giggle.

Ratchet glares at him. "Bulkhead, I NEEDED THAT!"

Bulkhead looks at the crushed device in his hand. I have to bite my hand to resist laughing.

"ENOUGH!" Optimus then turns back to Fowler and starts talking. "Military involvement will only result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties Agent Fowler. I, however, cannot."

"Then do us both a favor and handle this Prime, under the radar!" Agent Fowler walks into the elevator and turns to face Optimus. "Or I will." He pushes the elevator button. When the doors close, Raf sighs audibly in relief.

I crawl out from under the computer. I don't hear the rest of the conversation between Bulkhead and Optimus as Miko is too busy laughing. "What's so funny?"

Bumblebee is talking to Raf and Ratchet is looking at her with his eyebrow raised.

Miko takes a couple of deep breaths before replying. "The little scene between Bulkhead and Ratchet, that's what's funny!"

Arcee chuckles and shakes her head while Ratchet crosses his arms and frowns at Miko.

I look over to Miko who is clutching her stomach from laughing so hard. I grin. Optimus smiles at me and Jack helps Miko gain her balance as Bulkhead picks us up and places us onto a platform, out of harm's way.

Suddenly the computer makes a beeping noise and Ratchet stares at the screen with wide eyes. "Blasted Earth tech! Cliffjumper's signal just popped back online!"

'Cliffjumper?'

"Who's Cliffjumper?"

Everyone ignores me as Optimus speaks. "How is that possible?"

"It isn't. Another bug. The systems chock full of them."

"If there's any chance Cliff's alive…"

"Ratchet, prepare sickbay. We may need it."

Ratchet nods.

"Hey!" Miko shouts, just as they're about to head off. Optimus looks down at her. He has his face mask on. "What can we do?"

"Remain with Ratchet."

"Awww." Miko pouts.

"Awh." Ratchet grumbles. I guess the feeling is mutual.

The hole in the side of the wall then lights up with different shades going from light green to dark blue. It looks beautiful. There is a white light at the end of it. "Autobots, roll out!" Optimus transforms. The three also transform and they drive into the light and disappear.

The four of us stand there, dumbstruck. "What, just happened?" Jack asks, dazed, as the thing shuts off.

I shake my head and return to reality.

"I transported them to the designated coordinates via the ground bridge."

'So that was what it was called.'

"What's a ground bridge?" Raf asks.

I facepalm.

Ratchet huffs. "A scale down version of space bridge technology." He replies like it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah Raf, everyone knows that." Miko says sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

"Since we don't currently possess the means or the energon required for intergalactic travel."

"You're stuck here, on Earth."

Ratchet gives him a look. "With the likes of you, yes." He retorts coldly.

'That's it! I can't take this anymore! I'm getting really angry with this cold hearted robot.'

Miko and I are on the floor looking at this strange piece of unrecognizable equipment. "What does this do?" Miko moves her hand closer.

"Broken, don't touch." Ratchet states while walking over to the computer. Miko edges her hand towards another object. "Don't touch that either." Ratchet says without turning around. Miko's face is priceless.

I burst out laughing while Miko stands there, her eyes wide open and her jaw on the floor.

Jack just shakes his head at our antics. "Is there anything we can touch?"

I travel back up the stairs to keep Raf company. Ratchet gives him a look before an error box pops up onto the massive green computer screen. "How comes you guys are using human computers?"

I fold my arms and raise my eyebrow at him, waiting for an answer. "It certainly isn't by choice! It was handed down from the previous lieutenants when we inherited this, former missile silo. I make modifications as I see fit." Just then, loads more error boxes show up on the screen. Ratchet sighs in frustration.

"I think I can help with that." Raf takes out his computer. Ratchet looks at him as if he were crazy.

"Really?" Ratchet says, sarcasm evident in his voice. Raf ignores him and plugs his laptop into the other human computers that were still there. "You do know that this is complex technology don't you? I mean it isn't a child's toy." Ratchet starts to chuckle slightly while saying the last bit.

Raf is just typing in access codes. "Now try." Raf turns to him.

Ratchet looks back to the massive screen, presses a button, and all of the error boxes turn a bright green and disappear. He turns to Raf, shocked.

Jack walks over to Raf, as do Miko and I. "Wow Raf."

I throw my fists into the air.

Miko laughs.

"Ratchet, bridge us back!" We suddenly hear Optimus order. "Use arrival coordinates, NOW!"

Ratchet then pulls a lever which opens the ground bridge up, just as Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee race through. Just as I am about to ask where Optimus is, said bot speeds through and transforms, with this blue like explosion shortly behind him. Ratchet pulls the lever again just before the blue stuff gets in. The four of us gasp at how close he was to us and how he transforms just in time. Ratchet decides to sum up all of our thoughts in a nutshell.

"Cutting it a bit close. How about Cliffjumper?"

The four of the Autobots then turn to Arcee.

Miko chooses that moment to run up to the yellow metal bars. "What was that explosion? Was there a fight? Can I come with next time?"

Arcee looks beyond angry at her. The female bot growls. "Look…"

Jack starts walking up to Miko. "Hush, Miko, can't you see that Arcee's upset?" Arcee gives Jack a small smile, which Jack returns.

'Now, back to business.'

"Arcee, what did you see?"

I stifle a giggle. 'Hah, who knew Optimus could rhyme?'

"Not Cliff, at least, not anymore. He was mutated, butchered, like something from those con experiments during the war…" Arcee is unable to finish as she falls to her knees and grabs hold of a massive white box and leans herself against it. I feel really sad and sorry for her.

"Are you all right?"Bumblebee steps forward.

Arcee waves her hand in dismissal. "I'm fine, just, dizzy." Arcee places her other hand back on the white box as she looks down.

"Robots who get dizzy?" Miko whispers, not really asking anybody.

Jack walks up and stands next to her. "Robots, who can get injured."

Raf shakes his head and walks in-between the other two. "Robots with emotions."

"Robots, who can die." I finish, sorrow shown in my tone. 'I know what it's like to lose someone, as does my ancestor—and past life. Aang was the last airbender, and as far as I know, so am I.'

Optimus must have noticed because he gives me a sympathetic look.

Ratchet walks over to Arcee and a blue light goes over her body. I was guessing that it was a scan. The light turns red when it runs over the female's hand. He keeps on scanning until he finally stops on Arcee's hand. Arcee lifts her hand up slightly. Ratchet grunts. "What is this?"

She shakes her head and places her other hand onto her head. "I dunno, Cliff was covered in it, leaking it."

Ratchet gently grabs her hand, gets a knife and scrapes some of the strange purple substance off of her hand. He raises it up and looks at it. "Go take a decontamination bath, now."

Bumblebee walks over and helps her up, leading Arcee away.

Ratchet also walks off, probably to test the gooey stuff or something.

Jack gets out his phone and raised his hand. I raise my eyebrow at him. "O-Optimus, I-I hate to bug, but, no bars." He shows the bot his phone. It indeed has no bars.

Optimus leans closer. "A security precaution, the silo walls isolate all radio waves."

Raf and Miko share a look.

I walk away from the group, setting my phone next to Jack before sitting on the couch, seemingly staring into space. Unknown to the rest, I need to speak with Aang. It's short lived when Miko shouts.

"AWESOME! My host parents will freak!"

I turn around to see Optimus standing with Bulkhead and Miko getting right into Jack's face. I giggle and walk back over.

"And maintain convert surveillance, in vehicle form."

"Curbside duty, got it."

Miko slouches. "Awwwhhh." She pouts.

I smirk as I reach over and pat Miko's shoulder. "Better luck next time." I grin.

She scowls at me and runs off to Bulkhead, who had transformed. I have no idea what type of car/truck he is, and, to be honest, I don't really care.

"Bumblebee, you'll watch over Raf." Optimus calls to Bumblebee, who nods. Raf smiles and goes over to him.

And then there were two.

The only two bots left are Arcee and Ratchet, because Optimus wouldn't be a guardian, would he? Scrap, either way I'm doomed. I mean, Arcee's angry and upset and Ratchet is, well, Ratchet.

Arcee walks out. "Arcee, you will accompany Jack."

Jack rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Still dizzy." Arcee says, obviously not liking her new job.

"You're fine, says your physician." Ratchet cleverly retorts, waving an arm in the air.

I had to give him that.

Arcee groans and transforms. Jack rushes over and gets on.

I turn to the two remaining Autobots as Optimus turns to Ratchet. "I can tell the young female is hiding something from her friends."

I look nervously up at them before looking down quickly to ensure my arrows are sufficiently covered. As I do, Optimus walks over and touches my head slightly. I start and look up at the two. "You need to tell us what you are hiding."

"I—" I take a deep breath. "I am the avatar."

"What is the avatar?"

"For almost as long as time, people have been able to bend the elements to their will. The avatar is simply a bender." The two look at me confusedly, but I simply sigh and elaborate. "Well, the Avatar can master all four of the elements—air, water, earth, and fire—and the Avatar is one who can be called upon to keep the world in balance. However; all benders have gone into hiding. Though no one's needed the Avatar in over two thousand years, the Avatar is always reborn into the next element in the cycle. It goes, air, water, earth, and fire. When I die, the next Avatar will be reborn as a waterbender and after that bender, will be earth, then fire, and once again air."

"Well now that we know all of that, my question is this: what made the benders go into hiding?"

"Two thousand years ago, Avatar Korra failed to stop the Equalists. After her fall, any and all benders went into hiding."

Optimus and Ratchet share a look before Optimus turns back to me. "Why did you walk away from the group?"

"I was trying to talk with my past lives. I felt that Aang should hear about your story, but he's been dead for two thousand seventeen years." Ratchet walks across the room, joining the two of us. "He lives in me." I whisper.

Optimus smiles slightly. "You and I have a lot in common." I tilt my head to the side confusedly. "When I became a prime I was given the Matrix of Leadership, which contains the wisdom and power of the primes before me. There is still much I do not understand."

I smile happily. 'Finally, someone who sees things the way I do.' "There is still much I don't know about being an avatar. I turn to Aang almost daily. He's never lived in the modern world, but he saw the world like I do now."

Optimus smiles slightly at the mention of Aang. "I will be your guardian." Optimus says as he transforms and opens his passenger door. I climb in happily and he fastens the seat belt before taking off.

"So, what were these airbenders like?" Optimus asks.

"Peaceful… I'll just tell you the entire history. I made it a point to learn everything I could."

"All right."

"The Air Nomads were wanderers by definition, but had four air temples, one at each corner of the globe, hidden away atop mountain ranges in the northern Earth Kingdom and on three remote islands. The theocratic Air Nomads were home to a monastic order of men and women who practiced airbending. Unlike the other nations, the people of the Air Nomads were, without any seen exception, all benders due to the high level of spirituality of their people. They were a peaceful race who were wiped out by the Fire Nation. They lived in large temples and traveled the world on flying bison. They were the most spiritual of all the cultures and lived in harmony with nature. They also were fun-loving and had a strong sense of humor. The Air Nomads made up the smallest of the four nations in the world. They had a small economy, based entirely on limited agriculture. The population of the Air Nomads was small compared to even the Water Tribe, and was far smaller than either of the world's two major powers, the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom."

We pull up to my house then. "I will be by at 6:00 tomorrow morning to pick you up. I apologize for the early time, but—"

"But you're Optimus Prime, and you have a team to lead. It's your job. I'm not getting in the way of that." I cross my arms. "Besides, I'm up at five." He unbuckles the seatbelt and opens the door, and I slide out and grab my school bag before running inside the house.

THIRD POV

Optimus is in his berth room staring intently at a datapad in his hand, or so it seems. In actuality Optimus is thinking about his charge and her abilities. His charge being the Avatar meant that she needs to train and master all of the elements. From what Optimus could gather from her story, it used to be simple for a bender was born and learned their elements in their home nations, meaning that she would need nothing short of luck to learn and master the elements. Neither Optimus nor the rest of his team would condone the children to go to the arctic to find waterbenders, if there is anything left to find. It's most likely gone with all the time that has passed. Taking a deep breath, Optimus thought about what the girl had spoken of, about how the powers she has, about what happened to put her and other benders into hiding, and how he wants to help her so she won't have to hide any longer. Putting the datapad down, Optimus closes his optics and contacts the Matrix within his chest, he has questions and he is choosing to seek guidance from the ancient artifact on how to attempt to help his charge.

I get up the next morning and follow my routine before pulling out brown jeans, my brown hoodie, and my orange top with the Air Nomad insignia on it. I smile as I brush against the traditional outfit my mother had finished the day before. After I get dressed, I walk into the small room specially set up for meditation and stare at the quote on the wall. "When you reach your lowest point, you are open to the greatest change." I whisper softly. I sit on the floor in the lotus position and enter the spirit world as I had so many times before.

"Avatar Aang?" I look around. He stops in front of me. "Did you know about these Decepticons, Aang? They disrupt what little balance is left in the world. I know nothing about being an avatar."

"You are in the same position I once was, Sheyenne. And, like Roku, I must make it even more serious. Those beings you met have a prophesy. 'And it was written in the covenant of Primus, that when the 47 spheres align, a perpetual conflict will culminate on a world forged from chaos. And the weak shall perish in the shadow of a rising darkness.' That world is the one you were born to defend. Sheyenne, the future of our world is in your hands, and the hands of the prime. You must master the elements and bring balance to our world—before the rising Darkness arrives during the harmonic convergence." Aang lays a hand on my shoulder. "You must master the elements before the alignment. If I could master them and defeat Ozai by the time of Sozin's comet, you too can restore balance to the world."

"I know. But I need to gather my own team of benders now."

"They are closer than you believe. I must go now. You need to return to your body."

I shake my head to clear my mind and stand up before leaving the room. I gather a couple books, my cell phone, and an IPod and put them into my overnight bag before glancing around my room. On the top shelf of my large bookshelf lie the four items that proved to my family that I was the avatar. On the foot of my bed lays my Air Nomad throw blanket and my stuffed Appa, and on the pillow lies a stuffed winged lemur. Around the room I have framed pictures of the things from my original ancestor's life and a mirror, as well as an airbending scroll.

I scratch out a note telling my parents I went to meet a friend, and that they may not be able to reach me. It's 6:00 on the nose when I step out the door and climb into the prime's vehicle mode. "Morning, Optimus!"

"Good morning, Sheyenne."

"I have something I need to talk with you about, something important. Something from your planet is threatening what little balance this world has left. Aang told me a prophesy."

Optimus sighs as he pulls into the base.

I run up the stairs as Optimus transforms and reaches out a hand to me. "We need to talk before the others arrive."

I climb on and he carries me into a sparsely furnished berth room. He sets me on a cement desk before sitting in a matching chair. "This is either about the prophesy or the Airbenders. Of course, you probably already know about the prophesy…"

"The thirteen original primes were created to defeat Unicron, the chaos bringer. I wish to learn more about your people."

I smile slightly. "Contrary to the propaganda spread in the Fire Nation, Air Nomads did not have any form of military. In fact, they believed in peace and non-violence. Although the Air Nomads did not have any organized fighting force, they still proved to be formidable opponents. Because they were pacifists, Air Nomads led peaceful lives and avoided conflict when possible, though were willing to fight when there was no other option left to take. Aang also mentioned that Fire Lord Sozin defeated the Air Nomads by ambush."

Optimus nods. "My team is the same way. Autobots do not inflict harm unless all other options have been exhausted."

"Glad to hear it. Aang never used violence for anything but necessary defense. Due to the peaceful teachings of their leaders, the nature of the people was calm and tranquil." I pause before continuing, the story only getting darker. "The Air Nomad Genocide was an enormous massacre committed by the Fire Nation that resulted in the almost complete extinction of the Air Nomads and the fauna that lived in the air temples with them. The only human survivor was Avatar Aang. The outrage over this cultural destruction compelled the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe to take up arms and declare war on the Fire Nation, leading to the large-scale war that continued for one hundred years. Ironically, the sole known survivor of the massacre was the very person the Fire Nation sought to kill in its quest for supremacy: the twelve-year-old airbender and Avatar, Aang, who had run away from the Southern Air Temple shortly before the Hundred Year War began and became trapped in suspended animation in a globe of ice along with his lifetime friend, Appa. When he finally broke out of the ice, he was the last airbender, and their war had been going on for a hundred years. He formed a small team—two water tribe siblings—Katara, a waterbender; and Sokka—and started to learn the other elements, adding Toph, an earthbender; and later Zuko, a firebender and the next in line for the Fire Nation's throne. Zuko led the world into an era of peace and harmony."

"You seem a little confused about the firebender." O

"Zuko used to chase Aang and the rest of Team Avatar around, trying to capture Aang and restore his honor. It just goes to show that everyone, even the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation, and the Decepticons as well, are worth giving a chance. Anyone is capable of great good and great evil." Optimus nods slightly. "I just don't see why Zuko changed so much over the course of his life. Evil…good…evil…good…they ended the war and began reconstruction… and a year later he was acting like Ozai. Then he figured out the leadership issues and became the leader he was born to be—and one of Aang's good friends. I guess the Fire Nation had to be grateful for good old Iroh. He taught Zuko everything he knew." I sigh heavily. "Due to the threat of oncoming war, the Council of Elders told Aang of his identity as the Avatar at the age of twelve, when under normal circumstances the Avatar is told of his or her identity at the age of sixteen. Mom told me of my identity when I was thirteen—that's when I mastered airbending. Neither of my parents were benders, so they used ancient scrolls to teach me the art." I unzip my hoodie and slip it off, revealing my arrow tattoos. "Airbenders who have attained a level of mastery in the art are marked with arrow tattoos, based on the arrows of the sky bison, the first airbenders. A primary arrow tattoo is placed on their shaven head that extends down their back, along with four others, one on each limb that terminates in an arrowhead at the hands and feet. I don't shave my hair back because I am in hiding, but I knew that as an air nomad avatar, I must show the arrow proudly."

Optimus places a pinky on the blue arrow on the back of my hand gently. "Then why do you hide them?"

"The same reason you block the radio signals. I must have a way of protecting myself. You never know who will want the demise of the airbenders this time."

"This time?"

"First it was Fire Lord Sozin, who left his best friend, Avatar Roku, to die, then attacked the air temples, killing everyone BUT Aang. Then it was Amon and his Equalists, attempting to take Aang's son's and grandchildren's bending. That's kind of why the benders are in hiding." I giggle. "It has been mentioned that they had a good sense of humor. Aang told me about how Monk Gyatso employed a unique teaching method when tutoring Aang with his airbending skills, accurately blowing fruit pies onto other monks' heads. This activity was useful training and a fun game combined. I have that as well. Yesterday, I sneaked up on Miko and scared her."

"Do you know anything else about your ancestor?"

"Only that as he grew up, became serious and stern, and head-on, which is more of an earthbender trait than an airbender's. He had been carefree, fun-loving… He grew up to be a leader—an avatar—not to be trifled with, yet he was still pacifistic. Avatars are supposed to live longer than any human—Kyoshi was two hundred thirty years old when she died—but Aang was only sixty-six."

"You wish you could know him better."

"I never did have an Air Nomad mentor as he did. I feel like I'm missing a part of myself because of that."

Optimus puts a hand on my back. "It is all right. We are all here for you."

I smile up at him. "Thank you, Optimus. I'd better buzz off and let you get some work done. I'll be up on the platform if you need me for anything."

I walk into the main room and look around before joyfully airbending myself to the top of the platform. I then use air suction to pull the remote to me and turn on the TV, watching cartoons while I wait for the others to arrive. After a short while, I look down and notice that the piece of equipment Bulkhead broke yesterday is on the floor, and it has some of that strange purple substance on it. Curious, I walk over to it. Probably the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life.