Buckle up everyone. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Sorry about the delay on these chapters. Between work and the holiday season, I've been getting my butt handed to me most days. It also didn't help that my computer has been on the "El Fritzo" for the last week and a half. Now, in this story I plan to do some things I haven't seen in the fandom yet. One of which is in this chapter. Enjoy! Note: edited 3/15/22
Scanning the chaos that was now the space bridge control room Jack noticed something missing. "Excuse me Optimus, but where's my mom and agent Fowler?" He asked tiredly. Amidst the various returned teams, he hadn't initially noticed that the only remaining fully human members of team prime were missing.
Optimus looked at him. "Your mother received a call and left not long after the rest of you did to handle some kind of emergency involving her workplace. Agent Fowler decided to accompany her." He responded diplomatically. Was it Jacks' exhausted imagination, or was Optimus not mentioning something?
His ponderings were cut short by a cry of joy from the bulb near Miko. Two new vines shot out from her bulb body and wrapped around Vince, giving him something akin to a hug. "OMG Vinnie it's you!" She exclaimed. Jacks' eyes widened. Was that Sierras' voice?
Sierra continued to talk at a high rate of speed. "Where did they take you? When did you escape? Did Jack and those other robots save you?" Her eye vines looked Vince over. "And what happened to you? Last time I saw you, you looked like a 'Franken-bat'?"
Vinces' eyes widened. "Sierra, is that you?" He asked looking at the bulb and vines. She must've been mutated like he was. Looking around he saw that Allison, or whatever she'd been turned into was sitting in the lap of a yellow and brown robot similar to Jack, though much larger. His musings were cut off when the large red and blue bot Jack called Optimus spoke.
"That would indeed be the one you know as Sierra Krosney, Vincent Raider, and the one sitting with Rafael is Allison Blackrock." He said, pointing to a far corner. Vincents' wide-eyed stare turned to where Optimus was pointing. Sitting there was a robot, he realized with a gulp, that was Rafael Esquivel. At his current size he genuinely hoped Raf wasn't going to want payback for shoving him in his locker at the beginning of the year. Looking back near Sierra he realized that the bird cyber ninja chick could only be Miko Nakadai.
Deciding to answer her questions he nodded. "Alright, I woke up in a cave somewhere with these three and some other bots." He said indicating Jack, Arcee, and Smokescreen. "I was in pain when I woke up and lashed out, causing the cave to collapse." He decided to not mention begging to die. "Jack found me in the rubble and freed me. After that this thing called 'Vector Sigma' spoke using him and changed me into this." He summarized, indicating his new body.
Miko looked over at Vince, then to Allison, and then back to Sierra. "Okay, if it did that for you, why didn't it do that for them?" She then looked at her currently bestial boyfriend. "Do you think you can do that for Sierra and Allison too?"
Jack cocked and eyebrow. Miko was being surprisingly caring about someone who was until recently a romantic rival, let alone someone she barely knew outside of the occasional shared detention. Jack shrugged his shoulders a bit. "I'm not sure." He answered honestly, transforming into robot mode. "Reformatting Vince was pretty draining on me as it is." At Mikos' questioning look he responded. "It seemed like a good name for it."
Optimus interjected. "How were you able to connect with Vector Sigma, Jack?" He knew the answer to that question would be key to helping the two girls. He also wondered if it was similar to his own connection with the matrix.
Jack closed his eyes. He wasn't sure how he connected to Vector Sigma. After the cave in his last coherent thought was where Vince was and how to help him. At that realization it hit him.
"I wanted to help Vince." He said looking at Optimus. "Despite everything that happened between us." He let out a sigh. "I, I didn't want him to die. I wanted to." His explanation was cut off as his eyes suddenly glowed with an ethereal white light. Everyone jumped at the sudden possession.
"Greetings Optimus Prime, I am Vector Sigma." Jack spoke, the voice of Vector Sigma replacing his own. "To answer your question, I am choosing to interact with you using young Jacksons' body as a conduit. I used a similar method when I used Nexus Primes' Enigma of Combination to communicate with and create the first Maximals."
Miko raised her brow. "So, you're using Jack like a giant ventriloquists' dummy? Not cool!" She exclaimed. At several Autobots annoyed looks and Sigmas' raised eyebrow she changed track. "Wait, does this make Jack a Prime? Or the Maximal equivalent?" She asked to save face.
Vector Sigma smiled at her. "Not quite, I choose to speak through him, because his spark is receptive to me from our encounter when he was human." Turning back to Optimus it continued. "Due to the machinations of the scarred one, whom you call Shockwave, I was unable to finish transforming these newer Maximals and free them as I did the first ones. A failure that I began to correct when I used Jackson to finish transforming Vince Raider."
Turning to look at Sierra and Allison, who'd moved from Rafs' lap towards Sierra, Vector Sigma sighed. "Apparently 'reformatting', as my vessel put it, is indeed draining on him." They looked over at Raf, who had followed behind Allison, and Miko. "At present, Jack does not have the power to help them." Vector Sigma raised Jacks' hands. "Although the three of you, as Magnaboss, should have enough power to help me complete the transformation."
Raf and Miko looked at each other a moment then nodded. They couldn't leave those two in their situation a moment longer. Each taking a hand they felt their bodies transform and shift until the colossal form of Magnaboss stood before the two hybrids. The blue spark in their chest glowing a little softer than the burgundy and yellow ones.
Looking up at the towering robot, Vinces' eyes widened. "Woah, Megazord activated." He said in an astonished voice.
Inside Magnaboss' hive mind, Jack Miko and Raf reached out to each other. Using their shared bond, they caught up in an instant on exactly what'd happened to each other after the left through the space bridge. Immense humor came from Raf at the revelation that the last ones to know that Jack and Miko liked each other, was ultimately them. Miko felt embarrassed about the situation and immense pride for Jack and Raf for forgiving Vince and Raf for calming Allison respectively. Jack felt similarly about Raf, and pride about Mikos' caring attitude towards Sierra now that the truth was known.
The trio were pulled back to reality by Vector Sigma, who began talking, supplanting Magnaboss' fused voice with its' own. "Sierra Krosney, Allison Blackrock, the two of you have been chosen for a monumentous destiny."
White light lanced out from Magnaboss' eyes, a beam hitting both techno-organics in their middles. "I now grant you the forms and powers needed to fulfill it." With that a bright green light emanated from Sierras' bulb body and a silver light flared within Allison. The two glowed brightly as they began to shift and change. When the light faded two new Maximals stood facing the group.
Where Sierra was now stood what seemed to be a techno-organic cross between a tree and a lily. She stood about seven foot tall when hunched over. Her body was mostly a relatively thin tree trunk with green circuitry pulsing under the bark, a single oval shaped foot at the base of it. Just before the head were four long vine arms that were similarly interspliced with the same circuitry that ended in a three stick-fingered hand. Her head looked like a closed lily flower in the same shade of red as her hair was. A pair of eyes on stalks near the curve of the head completed her look.
Alison on the other hand looked like she walked straight out of a sci-fi fantasy novel. Her new beast mode was a silvery white unicorn with a golden mane and tail. Her hooves and forelegs looked more mechanical than anything and the exposed hydraulics in her upper haunches seemed built for running. Her main body was similar to Jacks' beast mode in that she had silvery ribs showing partway down her sides with circuitry lacing wherever it would bend. Her appearance was topped off with a horn that looked like it was made of pure silver.
"And with that." Vector Sigma stated, the white light retracting into Magnaboss' eyes. "My failure is rectified. Go forth and know, you are transformed." With that the White glow faded completely. The sudden loss of energy caused Magnaboss to shatter back into Jack, Raf, and Miko, who landed hard on the floor in beast mode.
The Autobots and new Maximals rushed over to the three, Sierra seeming to float along on her one foot. Miko and Raf looked exhausted, but Jack looked like he had fallen comatose. If not for the low rise and fall of his chest he could've been mistaken for dead.
Arcee knelt down. "You okay partner?" She asked. If one 'reformatting' was that draining. She didn't want to know what that'd done to him.
Jack slowly opened his eyes. Despite Miko and Raf taking the brunt of the energy drain he was now exhausted. He didn't even think he had the energy to transform. "I will be Arcee. I just really need to sleep now." And with that he promptly fell asleep on the floor.
Gently as she could, Arcee picked Jack up off the floor and carried him to the door. Raf and Miko shakily getting to their feet and following suit. "Let's get you to bed Jack, we'll talk more when you wake up."
Optimus nodded. "If Vincent, Sierra, and Allison would follow, Arcee and Bumblebee will show you to where the Sleeping. Ratchet, please go and assist setting up extra berths for the new Maximals. In the meantime, I will contact Agent Fowler about contacting their families." Prime was surprised to hear Vincent mutter "Good Luck."
Upon reaching the Maximals' 'den', Arcee promptly put Jack on the nearest berth. Stepping back, she saw Miko transform. "One of the newbies can use my bed for now." She said climbing on the berth next to Jack. Wrapping an arm around him and burying her face in his mane she muttered. "I'm good right here."
Arcee smirked. "Alright, but you're on your own with June if she catches you though." She replied. She was happy her partner found someone, even if she could be a bit of a headache at times.
Miko gave a sleepy sigh. "Look at all the clucks I give right now. Good night." With that she drifted to sleep.
Arcee snorted as she turned to help Ratchet set up the new berths. Looking to her right she saw Raf transform and clamber up onto his own berth. Vince, Sierra, and Alisson looked decidedly confused. Vince looked at Arcee. "Uhm, sorry if this sounds rude or weird, but how do we change like them?"
This question surprised Arcee. For most Cybertronians it was just a matter of triggering their T-cog and letting nature take over. Learning to transform was like learning to stand for most. Ratchet once mentioned that the kids didn't have T-cogs, but it never occurred to her to ask Jack how he and the others did it.
Fortunately, she was saved by Raf. "The first time we transformed was after a personal epiphany." He sat up with some effort and looked at the three. "In my case I realized that I really and truly mattered to the others and had the power to help them. After that, it just becomes a reflex."
He gave a big yawn. "If you'll excuse me." With that he laid back down and dozed off. The remaining three looked at one another as Arcee, Bumblebee and Ratchet continued to set up the berth. They looked down and tried to do a little bit of soul (spark?) searching.
Allison thought about her life and who she was. Honestly most everyone thought she was just Sierras' friend. The reality is that Sierra is her adopted sister. They became friends in middle school and when her daddy found out about her situation, after a few too many sleepovers, he adopted her out of the foster system. While daddy treated them equally at home, she was always contented to stay in her more popular sisters' shadow.
That's when it hit her, she'd always allowed herself to be pushed into the background. Sierra had always been the braver of the two and not afraid of being in the 'popular kids' spotlight. She on the other hand, was so afraid of being judged that she became afraid of being herself. She'd always wanted to be brave and outgoing, and while being turned into this wasn't her choice, she would seize this opportunity by the horn and charge ahead.
Allisons' spark flared silver and her body began to change. Giving a whinny, she reared up into an upright position, torso shortening and gaining feminine curves. Her shoulders split apart, and her neck and horse head slid to where her right arm would be, the horse leg there retracting into her body. The horse head seemed to shrink becoming more like a gauntlet with the horn becoming like a blade. From the split in her shoulders came her head, bearing a ponytail that was similar to her disappearing horse tail. The hoof on her left arm seemed to shrink out of existence as a hand emerged to take its' place as another one emerged from her gauntlet.
Looking down at herself she was impressed. She looked like a warrior goddess. "Woah, check me out." She looked at her sister and Vincent. Vinnie seemed to either be deep in thought or trying to fight off a headache.
Sierra looked at Allison, pride in her sister blossoming from her chest. When the two first met she was just another name in the foster care system. No one bothered to get to know her until Allie did. From there she found family in both her and her father. From that little seed of friendship, the love of a family blossomed into life. Looking at herself and her crush Vincent, she knew that from the seeds sewn today, something amazing would grow.
This understanding is what ultimately triggered Sierras' transformation. With a trill and a burst of green light, the lily that was her head opened, exposing her human head. The petals folded down over her chest, back, and shoulders as the upper half of her tree trunk body expanded into a more feminine shape. Her four vine arms interwove into two thicker human like ones as her single foot shrank and lower trunk split into two normal feet and legs.
To her right, Allison gave a snort of laughter. "Check you out."
Vincent on the other hand was having trouble with transforming. He just couldn't figure out what kind of personal realization could trigger it. He'd been focusing for a while now and both Sierra and Allison had transformed. All he was getting was a headache.
"Transform, transformation, I am transformed, I am so transformed I can't believe it." With an exasperated sigh he looked up at the girls. "I just can't figure it out."
He was distracted from his frustration by Ratchet. "Well, the berths are set up. And it doesn't matter which form you use on them. All you have to do is lay down and let the energy put you to sleep." He pated the final berth once he closed the top hatch. "Rest up, we'll talk to you all wake up." With that he walked out of the den, Bumblebee close behind him.
Arcee looked at the new trio. "Best do what the doctor says. It'll be easier to deal with your situation on at least a few hours' sleep. We'll get you three some dinner when you wake up." She transformed into her vehicle form. "I'll stand guard while you rest." At her assurance the three clambered onto their berths (Vince a little awkwardly) and within moments, drifted to sleep as well.
It was a couple hours later when Jack woke up. The first thing he noticed was the fact he was still in beast mode. The second, was a comforting weight across his chest. Turning his head slightly, he could make out one of the telltale pigtails of his girlfriend and realized she'd curled up next to him again. Not that he minded, he just wished he'd been in a state to hold her as well.
Looking around he saw that Raf, Vince and the girls were asleep on berths near him. For whatever reason though, Vince was still in beast mode. Deciding to come back to it later he was just about to go back to sleep when he looked down and saw his mom looking up at him.
"Morning Jack." She said in a weary voice. HIs first thought was that she was angry he and Miko were sleeping on the same berth. A second glance though revealed that June looked like she'd aged a decade in the few hours they'd been separated. Her eyes were a little red and the circles under them were a little darker than before.
Jack lifted his head off the berth to look at her. "Mom what's wrong?" Gently he slid himself out from under Mikos' arm and got off the berth. Transforming he crouched down to be closer.
June tried to deflect at first. "Nothing sweetie, nothing for you to worry about anyway." She tried to placate but couldn't look him in the eye.
"Mom, something's wrong, I can tell." Jack stated looking at her. What could've upset her so bad that she'd try to lie to him about it.?
Taking a breath June steeled herself to deliver the bad news. "Well, I don't have to worry about running out of vacation time. The hospital called and terminated my employment. Apparently, someone said something to human resources, and I've been fired."
Jack was stunned. His mother had worked for the hospital for over a decade. What could make them do that? "What?"
June nodded. "It gets worse." She continued. "Someone got in touch with the bank I have the mortage through." She swallowed. "They called in the note saying if I didn't pay it by the end of business today, I would lose the house, and on top of that they froze my bank accounts, so even though I have the money to pay off what I owe, I couldn't do it." She finished with a defeated sigh; business had ended for the day an hour ago.
Jacks' eyes widened. In the span of an afternoon his mother was now effectively jobless, homeless, and bankrupt. "But, what about agent Fowler or the bots? Can't they help?"
June shook her head. "The banks will be looking for any signs of hacking or discrepancies, so the bots are out. And Bill just had his accounts frozen too. His bank however is just saying it's a 'clerical error'. She said with air quotes around the words.
Jack shook his head. This was too much of a coincidence. "Who?" He asked, having a sinking feeling about the answer.
June gave a humorless laugh. "Simmons, he met me as I was leaving the bank." Her eyes narrowed in hatred. "He said that this was the 'consequences' of my actions against him and Sector 7. He also said if I had a 'change of heart', he would speak to the bank and the hospital." She gave a huff out her nose. "As if."
Looking at the floor with a vacant stare, Jack felt guilt creep up into him. If his mother hadn't stood by him, she wouldn't be in this situation. "Mom, maybe if I talk to Simmons, let his team poke around inside me."
He was cut off by his mother smacking him upside the head. "Now you listen here Jackson Alexander Darby." She growled, glaring at her stunned son. "The worst thing I lost was a house, that's it. My home is where my children are, and I'm not giving that up for anything." She took a steadying breath. "I'll be moving our things here tomorrow with help from some of Fowlers' men."
Jack looked at his mother. He felt so bad for her that he'd forgotten one of the biggest lessons she'd taught him. 'Anyone can build a house, but a home is made by the people who live there.' "Sorry mom." He whispered. June wrapped her arms around Jacks' neck, hugging him as best she could.
Not long afterwards the other Maximals woke up. After introducing Sierra and Allison to June and reintroducing Vince they headed to the mess hall hangar for dinner. It actually amused everyone that June was able to make Vince squirm in regard to his bullying of her son. It wasn't often they saw a giant bat look uncomfortable. After Jack told her they made up she eased off him a little.
Dinner with June and the now six Maximals was a quiet affair. Unless you counted Miko and Sierra getting into a minor argument over which one was more cannibalistic. Sierra being a plant and a vegetarian, or Miko, being a bird, eating chicken? Further arguments were cut off when the human door to the mess hall burst open and a man in a suit, in his mid to late 40's with black hair and moustache, and sunglasses ran in.
Everyone looked at the man as he took his shades off, revealing familiar looking blue eyes to the assembled group. Looking from face to face with a slightly panicked look, he zeroed in on Allison and Sierra. "Oh, thank you god." He ran up to them, causing them to flinch a bit. Realizing his error, he slowed down. "Allie, Siri, it's okay, it's daddy."
At his reaction the girls relaxed a bit as the boys and Miko looked at each other in surprise. Daddy?
Agent Fowler followed the man in a second later. "As I was saying Mr. Black." He said panting a bit. He'd run to try and keep up with the distressed father. "They look a little different now, but they're still your daughters."
The bay door to the mess hangar opened allowing Optimus entry, Ratchet and Ultra Magnus following suit. "I apologize for the intrusion, but Mr. Black was desperate to reunite with his daughters."
Mr. Black turned and looked at Optimus. "Mr. Prime, I understand that you were trying to brace me for the shock, but ultimately, I just needed to make sure they were all right as could be." He turned and saw June sitting at the table. "Mrs. Darby?" He scanned the table and saw Jack. "And I'm guessing that's Jackson in the lion suit."
Junes' jaw dropped. She knew Bennet Black was Allisons' father. Hell, she'd delivered the girl herself. But she had no idea that Sierra was adopted. Then again, she'd only interacted with him at the occasional PTA meeting and only knew he was a widower, his wife dying in childbirth. She had no idea what he was like or what he did for a living.
Taking one more look at his daughters, Mr. Black turned back to Optimus. "Alright, if I take everything you said as fact. Your side in this war is seriously outmanned, and out gunned. If my daughters are going to be involved in this in any way, then I want to help, in any way I can. You have manpower on the way, but you're still at a technological disadvantage, and the other side seems to have their own Dr. Frankenstein by the look of it. To remedy that, I think a reintroduction is in order."
He held out his hand to agent Fowler. "My real name is Garrison Bennet Blackrock, founder, CEO, and proprietor of Onyx Technologies. But my friends call me G.B." Fowlers eyes widened as he shook hands With G.B. Blackrock. He'd heard of Onyx Technologies, a lot of Uncle Sam's advanced weaponry, including some of the guns his men used came from that company. He'd heard that the CEO had stepped out of the public eye to focus on raising his daughter after his wife died. Who'd have thought he'd ended up here or adopt another child?
Allison sighed as Sierra stifled a giggle. "Was the reintroduction necessary dad?" He could be such a drama king sometimes.
G.B. looked at her. "If I'm going to be helping protect you kids, then yes. I don't like the fact you and your sister are getting involved in this little war of theirs." He said, pointing to the Autobots. "Let alone the fact you were turned into what you are now, but I will do my fatherly duty and help you." He took a breath and looked at the other Maximals. "All of you, if need be."
Jack stared slack jawed. How many more surprises could today have left?
Miko on the other hand was eyeing Blackrock wearily. Her parents had met him at some of their social gatherings. Until she got to know the man a little better, she was keeping an eye on him.
Raf and Vince were surprised too, they'd heard of him. This was a man who had a Tony Stark level intellect, and Burce Wayne level wealth. The fact that he was living in Jasper of all places was a shock. The fact he was more than willing to help them and the Autobots, even more so.
June stood up and walked over to him. "We appreciate the offer Mr. Blackrock." She said shaking his hand. Admittedly she was a little intimidated by the man, but if it helped her kids. "But ultimately, it's up to agent Fowler and Optimus."
Everyone looked up at the Autobot leader. Giving a nod he replied. "We humbly accept your offer Mr. Blackrock. If you'll speak with my second in command, you'll be able to hammer out the details." He directed Blackrocks' attention to Ultra Magnus who nodded at him.
G.B. nodded. "Alright, down to business then, let's go." He turned back to Allison and Sierra. "I'll come back to see you girls after you finish eating. I love you both and I'll see you then." As he was walking out, he stopped and looked at Ratchet. "I understand you're the doctor here, remind me before I leave, and I'll fax over a copy of my girls medical records to help you with anything that may come up."
This caught Ratchet off guard a little. He'd been planning on giving the Maximals a 'checkup' the next day. Mostly to see exactly how similar their new bodies were to their original ones. "That'd be appreciated sir. He replied.
With a nod Blackrock exited the hangar, following Ultra Magnus. Ratchet looked at the Maximals. "I'll be meeting you all in the lab at 10:00 for a 'physical' as nurse Darby put it to me." At their collective groan he narrowed his optics. "Doctors orders." He growled and left in a huff; it was bad enough Optimus skips his checkups.
Optimus spoke next. "I will leave you to your meal now, and to the new Maximals in the room, I bid you welcome to Unit E." With that he turned and left the hangar.
When the door shut everyone turned to look at Sierra and Allison, both of whom were now feeling very self-conscious. Allison gave a sigh. "Yes, our dad is rich, we just never said anything because we were trying to keep a low profile. Sierra is my sister, daddy adopted her when we were in middle school. Can we please hold any questions for another time?" Her tone signaled that her last statement wasn't a question so much as a request.
The rest of the meal was quiet and concluded with Blackrock returning and giving his daughters a hug and kiss goodnight, much to their embarrassment. Soon afterwards the group dispersed back to the den to get some sleep before the morning, June making sure Miko slept on her own berth this time. Hopefully the group would be too tired for nightmares tonight.
As if in answer to her prayer, the night was quiet. For the time being, all was well.
A/N- Phew, that was a ride. So, for clarification. Sierra is essentially my own take on the Maximal Botanica. Her design was inspired by the 'Beast Wars Animated' toy of her made by Gizmo Tracer on DeviantArt. I'd suggest you check them out. Allison is a more streamlined take of the Battle Unicorn toy from Beast Machines. I thought I'd use a transformer that had as much backstory as 'Allison' did in Transformers Prime. In addition, While I hated doing that to June, I do have plans for her, plans I think most of you will like. That said, I lieu of writing about the Maximals getting a physical, I decided to put my equivalent of Ratchets' notes as the next chapter. I've written about half of it Already and should have it up within a week. See you then.