Ep. 2 - The Little Things that Count - [Closed]

[Optimus Prime]

Episode 2 | Week 3 | Day ((To be decided))


Optimus had declared to himself some time ago that he wasn't really going to take a huge role with relocating the children to or from the base, but with the ever threat of MECH in play there was no wrong in accompanying another who had to. The trek to the children's schools or homes and back was short, and the chances of MECH being a presence there was ever thin, yet it was there. This sliver was so minute however that it was negligible, for the Prime had sanctioned runs before for the kids that worked outside of the buddy system.

So this may have been just a part excuse to go out on a drive.

Leaving the base to just drive in solitude had been something he partook of occasionally before the recent concerns and new laws. To be able to just enjoy the sights earth had to offer, and the odd happenings that can occur in the more populated portions... It was a means to try to clear his mind, or just avoid some of the more rambunctious happenings around the base.

Optimus supported the fact his Autobots wanted to party, or play games. If they wanted to socialize and have fun, all of that was great for building up the team and getting them better acquainted with one another. Sadly however, he just cannot do such things himself. As Prime he had an obligation to maintain a sort of image, to uphold the icon they expected him to be, and socializing like that had just always been out of his comfort zone anyway.

So he drove.

The trip had been uneventful all things considered, a vast clash to the last time he had to taxi the children to the base. Bumblebee was the one to carry them, and was the one to slip into their individual neighborhoods to plunk them off at their homes, an act that would have been rather awkward for a massive Peterbilt to accomplish. Once it was all said and done however, he joined back up with the young Autobot, and would start to head back in the direction of the base, ever cautious of pedestrians or individuals whose driving would get more unpredictable at nightfall.

It was dark out, the sky a solid blanket of black with flecks of stars scattered about that were nearly drowned out by the yellowed streetlights above. But these lights were growing more and more scarce the further they got from the center of the city. Their warm tones had done little to combat the silver chill of night anyway, the desert's scalding days contrasted sharply by the bitter cold. Alas, it was only truly cold to the humans, as it would take something far worse to affect their kind.

The Prime did not say much. He wasn't one to initiate conversation, but he would reply if Bumblebee had something he wanted to say or discuss. He looked upon the last sparked with concern and sadness at times, unhappy that for the majority of their young life they have experienced war, and nothing more. It wasn't fair to him, and yet, despite all that he has seen, and all that he had experienced by Megatron's hands, he still kept going with that young ambition.

It was something to commend all things considered.

Alas, Optimus just drove for now, headlights cutting into the shadows while he moved at a more languid pace due to the presence of nocturnal animals out on the road. The last thing he wanted to deal with was having the displeasure of taking a creatures life and needing to pick it out from the front of his grill.

[Bumblebee]

There were days, which Bee wouldn't ever admit to, where he didn't really want to do the school runs at all. Sometimes it was just nice to hang back at the base in his quarters being lazy, re-arranging the science projects on the ceiling that Raf had made, counting his can and CD collection to make sure they were all still there, trying his hand at drawing with those tiny human crayons.

Today was one of those days, but once he heard that the Prime would be going too? He'd all but jumped at the chance to go with him before anyone else could get a word in. Bumblebee had never done the school run with Optimus before, and for some reason he was weirdly nervous about the entire thing. He made a point to drive slowly, sticking to the speed limit, sticking to every single tiny human rule while out on the roads – even the children had been oddly quiet and on their best behavior. Maybe it was due to guilt after their little fiasco the time Optimus had done the school run on his own. This run, however, went smoothly and with no issues; and Bee found himself driving back to the Omega base with Optimus a lot sooner than expected.

Bee didn't mind. Sometimes an uneventful there and back again school run when on his own was most welcome. They meant that he got done faster, which meant he could linger in the town of Jasper if he wanted, taking in the familiar sights before he was due back at the base. It was one of the only times he got to leave the base by himself, and the alone time and space to drive freely was much needed sometimes. He did always love to people watch, and there was usually something going on. Although the nights were chilly, so the humans never seemed to stay out for long on these perfect nights. Bee loved them though, stargazing was something he enjoyed if he ever found the time to do so.

One thing Bumblebee didn't like though, was the prolonged quiet. Optimus hadn't said much the entire time they were out, which was to be expected. Although this was getting awkward now. Bee was waiting for the Prime to initiate conversation, as that would make the question Bumblebee had wanted to ask for days easier to slip into the small talk. But the conversation never started. It was upto Bumblebee to get things moving.

::So uh, hey Optimus.:: He spoke over the comm, driving behind the Prime as they made their way back to the base. He wasn't sure why he was being so formal and on his best behavior, maybe it was because this was the Prime. Someone Bumblebee had always looked up to. That and the night was so still and tranquil that this wasn't exactly the time for Bumblebee to be silly – not that he really would around Optimus to begin with.

::I was wondering if maybe I could show ya something real fast. It aint far from the base, a few miles past it infact.:: His beeps were polite, and quiet - as if he was hesitating some or struggling to find the words to make this sound like it wasn't going to be a complete waste of the Primes time. He wanted to show Optimus the little training ground he'd set up long before the buddy system was put into place.

It was nothing huge or special. A race track, and a few crudely made targets so Bumblebee could stay on top of his game. Being there with Jazz just days earlier had made him realize just how much he missed it. He hadn't shown anyone else where it was, but he wanted to start going there again – and if he could show Optimus just how close it was to the base, maybe it would be on the allow list to go to alone sometimes, just like the school runs were.

::It's a training ground I set up a while ago. It wont take long!:: He'd speak before Optimus had chance to ask what it was; this way if the Prime decided he had other things to do, he could decline. He wouldn't elaborate just why it was he wanted to go there, unless Optimus asked. They'd made good time with the school run, so maybe this little detour would be allowed. It was a nice night, and Optimus was being quiet, even for him, so maybe he was just enjoying being outside under the stars just as much as Bee was. They still had a while until they were back at the base, so it gave Optimus plenty of time to decide.

(( Hope this okay. Damn you Optimus for being so quiet. XD ))

[Deleted]

Giant footprints. Tire tracks. Behemoth, half-broken constructions. Scorch marks in the ground that looked like great balls of fire had landed in the dirt — yes, this had to be one of theirs. All that quiet circling around, all that long-spent time wandering and searching, had finally paid off. She would leave a couple of boxes here for them to find, laden with gifts from the human world in case they needed them. One such box would give directions to the nearby stash of kerosene and oil, roughly half a mile's walk north of the small...encampment? Project? Hideout?

Her typical Bohemian reds were in her car, which was stashed away in some bushes an hour's journey from the site. A black, featureless hoodie — combined with some dark-blue jeans and a black bandanna over her face — hopefully blended her in enough with the night. Brown eyes always alert, she was constantly checking over her shoulder as she adjusted the first box, wedging it between a mesquite tree's roots. The thorny sage clustered around its billowing, gnarled form helped keep the shoebox from prying passerby eyes. It would be the sigil she carved on a piece of old two-by-four — grabbed after glancing it while on the road — that would give Cybertronians an idea of what was there.

Behind her face-mask, she smiled at her handiwork. Half an Autobot's crest, half a Decepticon's, then put together and cut in two lengthwise. It peeked over a half-oval line, as if the eyes of the symbol were glancing over a minute hill. Sliding the wood so that it rested within view, the singer stood back up, and looked both ways before turning around. She was still alone, thank God, but the tracks nearby were recent — how long before she was found?

The woman starting running for a thicker part of the nearby bush, one well away from anything trampled down by those unknown. It was a more secure place to hide a box with more valuables — including a wad of American currency — and provided more cover if she had to break. This was the first time she'd found a place so obviously Cybertronian, and her tiny, comparably-fragile little legs couldn't outrun such gargantuan, heavy strides. She'd either be caught up with and grabbed swiftly, or squished underfoot, mistaken for some sort of bug.

[Optimus Prime]

((I am under assumption Sarita hid well, maybe even more so when she heard the vehicles? If you want me to tweak anything, please let me know. -salute-))

It wasn't that Optimus was intentionally being stubborn; he just wasn't a big chatterbug when it came to conversation. He was the type to simply enjoy anothers company for what it was, and not need anything more to have it be pleasant. This meant he would happily sit reading and working on a datapad, while someone else worked on the main computer system, and consider it socialization. This obviously did not mesh with how others tended to think.

Either way, the Prime did not mind when Bumblebee opted to break the silence, and he was surprised that it hadn't occurred any sooner. If they were closer to the base and the young scout had still not spoken, he may have even found the need to comment upon it. The last thing he desired was to let some worry or thought eat away at one of their most lighthearted Autobots.

Hearing what Bee proposed, Optimus considered the situation. They technically were on a schedule, but... it was more for formalities and to keep track of where everyone was rather than anything set in stone. It could easily be modified if the situation called for it, and honestly, as Prime he could do as he pleased anyway. He did not fear a MECH presence in these parts, and it seemed this was important to Bumblebee.

::Very well, lead on::

His tone of voice was calm, understanding, a kindness to it that showed that the request was reasonable and he wasn't just doing this to appease the yellow Cybertronian. Paired with this, he sent a quiet ping up ahead back to base, that relayed that they would be taking a bit more time than the typical slot. This would keep Red Alert occupied and sated enough that they wouldn't be getting a frustrated comm message slammed into them the second their allotted time ran out.

Gradually, the semi-truck eased down in velocity to allow Bumblebee to pass in front of him and lead the way. This wasn't really needed all things considered, since the muscle car effortlessly pushed forward and into point as if he was suddenly freed from a tether that was anchoring him down. Optimus had to find some amusement in this, knowing the freedom to set the pace would inevitably mean he would have to go faster. While he was no muscle car, he was not a lumbering behemoth, and as such would speed up to keep pace with ease.

The two continued down the path for a short distance, before coming to a fork where the main highway branched off into a dirt road. It was smoothed out enough from marginal use and the natural landscape of the desert, so it was not particularly jarring, but Optimus did ease back on his speed upon the transition. He did not desire picking out gravel and stones from his frame upon arrival back to the base.

The two were on course for the area Bumblebee wanted to show him, only for something to catch the edge of his visual feed. The sight was small, tiny, nothing of any substantial value, but it looked like a sign, and curiosity to see what was on it drew his attention back to it as they neared. It was only when their joined headlights grazed past its surface fully, that Optimus could observe what was carved into its surface. The sight of an Autobot emblem would have been jarring enough, but a fusion between the factions was an out of place occurrence on multiple levels.

Falling quiet... or... more quiet than he already was, Optimus slowed even further, his tires causing branches and gravel below to snap and crackle with his immense weight. The sight of the sign was alarming in a way, for there were only three sets of humans that knew of their kind. The children, individuals working below Fowler, and MECH.

Instantly his sensors flared out to hunt for metal and electric presences, scanning the immediate area cautiously. He wasn't picking up any other vehicles lurking in the darkness of night, and he couldn't pick up any technology that would pose as a threat if the sign was made by MECH as a trap. Everything around them seemed organic and plain and simple, but that merged crest showed an understanding about Cybertronians that spoke volumes.

Coming to a halt, the semi-truck's stopping momentum caused its frame to ease back on its suspension with a low hiss. It only remained motionless however for a moment, before its bumper surged forward violently, and hood split down its center. The transformation sequence surged into motion rapidly, large panels of metal snapping and peeling back to allow other components to swing up and lock into place. The entire process only lasted a moment, before where there had once been a truck, now stood an immense Cybertronian frame.

"Scout for MECH presence."

A heavy ped stepped forward, the thick panels of silver metal crunching down to create a heavy thrum of vibration that Sarita may have been able to pick up on. He was mindful of his steps, sensors overly tuned for anything that could be out of place. He was not yet tracking for organic shapes, but that would come in time. What he was hunting for was electronics and things that would result in true threats for himself of Bumblebee. To aid in this, his headlights at the bottom edge of what humans would consider a 'rib cage' turned on, the piercing lights cutting down into the area in front of him again, while blue optics scanned around the sign.

[Bumblebee]

::Really?:: Bumblebee sounded surprised as he replied over the comm; he hadn't been expecting to get the okay. And from the sound of Optimus' tone, it wasn't just a sympathy affirmative to humor Bumblebee. He didn't even think to comm through to the base, knowing Optimus probably had it handled – given that the location of the Prime was important, and if he wasn't back at the base when they were due back there? There would be panic.

::Awesome! Follow me!:: He would pull ahead of the semi-truck quickly – some of the seriousness and formality eased from his field and he would relax more. He wouldn't pull too far ahead, but being up in front gave him the freedom to speed just a little – nothing that would make Prime think less of him for breaking human rules, or be unable to keep up – but it was a much faster pace than they had been going.

He slowed only when they came to the fork, pulling onto the dusty, dirt road – This was mostly for Optimus' benefit rather than his own. Bee was used to this terrain, and used to frequent this area a lot before the buddy system was put into place, so it was nothing new to him.

That sign though..? That was new.

The area that Bumblebee had set up was well hidden away from humans, it was far away from the road as not to be visible or obvious. Enough so that even if a human did come along this little dirt track, the chance they'd find the area was slim to none. So the sight of this sign on the way there? Made Bumblebee panic – even if there was nothing at the training area to really give away the secret of the Autobots and what they were.

The sign was definitely human made. And definitely an half Autobot and half Decepticon emblem.. Fused together. Why? It didn't make sense. But Bumblebee's field radiated panic for the briefest of moments as all manner of thoughts rushed through his processor as to who could've put it there. The kids wouldn't have done this – even they didn't know of this area. Fowler probably wouldn't have allowed Bee to have this area, so it couldn't have been him.. Was it MECH? Had they found this area of his? Had they been watching he and Jazz just a few days prior?

His own sensors began to flare out, scanning for anything, or anyone, that it could be – his first thought was MECH. It had to be. There was nobody else. This terrified him. At least they were not far from the base should they need to call for backup or make a hasty retreat. He didn't want to go too far ahead down the track, just incase it led them into a trap, so would begin to transform from his altmode without pulling to a complete stop once he heard Optimus shifting behind him.

His own transition to root form wasn't exactly graceful due to him moving as he shifted. Both doors would pull outwards and upwards with a whir and grind of metal and hydraulics, his back wheels would shift forwards as he began to stretch out his limbs. His hood and front wheels shifting with an audible snap as they locked into place, forming his chassis and shoulders, the transition wasn't graceful but it was fluid. Other components swung up and into place and within seconds he had transformed from his altmode. The Energon blaster in his arm was already out defensively as he finished transforming, rolling into a crouch to stop himself, scanning around the area as he pulled himself to his pedes.

His optics would peer this way and that; whirring as they adjusted to the light. The aperture like lenses of his optics were wide. Scouting and tracking were two things Bumblebee were good at – so it hopefully wouldn't take him long to find the culprit. The headlights on his chassis would turn on as he started his own search, taking a few cautious steps away from the sign and Optimus.

It didn't take Bumblebee long for his sensors to ping and lock onto something. He wasn't sure what it was – as from their current location it was faint, and seemed to be closer to the actual training ground he'd set up; or in the area nearby at least. His optics would narrow in thought as he peered over toward the general area where he noticed the signal, and he'd take a step backwards toward the sign once more.

--They're that way, whoever they are. There's a signal. Faint, but it's there.-- He would point forward with one servo in the direction of the faint cellphone signal, hoping Optimus would pick up on it too. The Energon blaster on his arm was still out, just incase it was indeed MECH lurking over yonder. The tone of his beeps were quiet, but serious. Gaze shifting downwards at the dusty Earth that surrounded the sign. Whoever it was hadn't done a very good job of covering their tracks, either that or they'd been in too much of a hurry to do so.