The Power Within - Transformers Prime (2)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Episode 22 - Hard Knocks

[Amanda]

  I rolled out of the way, dodging a hit from Smokescreen, before bouncing back to my feet and getting into a defensive position again. He lashed out with one arm, swinging towards me, and I ducked. As he spun again, I shoved a hand out and sent a light blast of silver dust towards him, watching as it made contact with his back. He let out a shout and whirled around so quickly, arm still out, that I was knocked backwards.

  "Game!" Arcee called from the sidelines, where she, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead had been watching us spar the whole time. She walked towards me as I got up. "Amanda, just because you send a hit doesn't mean you watch it until it makes impact. You blast him and move immediately. Don't automatically assume that the blast will throw him off. You have to be ready and in another spot right after."

  I nodded, straightening my running sweater. "Got it. I'll keep that in mind next time."

  "Not bad, rookie. It's not easy to get a point on Amanda," Bulkhead complimented Smokescreen, who grinned.

  "I'm gonna be a great warrior someday," The rookie boasted. "Like Optimus." At the name, I glanced over to see the Prime was still hard at work decoding the next set of coordinates of the Omega Keys. He had been working since I left yesterday and all through the night according to Arcee, who had been the one to pick me up today. Jack, Miko, and Raf all went on a school-wide field trip to some camping grounds for a few days, so they wouldn't be around for a bit. I didn't end up going because a) I completely forgot my form, and b) I didn't want to risk spending time away from the base. With the high stakes surrounding the retrieval of the Omega Keys, the Autobots' missions were getting riskier and I wanted to be on hand if any of them got injured. Ratchet had started coaching me on how to close internal as well as external wounds yesterday, so my powers were getting more useful now.

  "Well, train hard and gain some wisdom along the way," Bulkhead said, his tone making it sound easy to become like Optimus. "I'm sure it'll happen."

  "Oh, it will," Smokescreen said in a slight arrogant tone. "It's my destiny."

  Bumblebee buzzed something doubtfully, and Arcee put her hands on her hips.

  "How so?" She asked.

  "Well, one minute I'm on security detail at Iacon," the rookie explained. "The next I wake up on the other side of the galaxy to find myself under Optimus' command. I mean, what are the chances, right? Things happen for a reason."

  The femme didn't look very impressed. "We get it, Smokescreen. You're special. We're lucky to have you." I fought back a smile at the sarcasm in her tone.

  "All I'm really saying is," Smokescreen didn't miss a beat, sarcasm or not. "I've come a long way and this is the one opportunity I don't plan on messing up."

  "I hope you were taking notes, then," I piped up, tone amused. "Because the lessons this team learns come and go pretty quickly."

  He opened his mouth to reply, but Optimus cut him off.

  "Autobots," He said, that being the first thing I heard him say all day. Even when I arrived, he only nodded in acknowledgement. "The next Iacon coordinates have been decoded. Ratchet, ready the ground bridge."

  The medic left his lab to do so, and Smokescreen grinned.

  "Last one to the Omega Key has to scrub the energon tanks for a week!" He declared.

  Arcee crossed her arms. "Didn't know we were keeping score."

  "Really?" I looked up at her, smirking. "You should have seen this coming." That got me a smile.