These Paths We Tread (Autobot x OC)

XI. Two Worlds II

“No, let’s make it worse.”

The silver mech didn’t need to see the silly grin on her face to know she was kidding, and laughed along with her as he adjusted their course, taking them down a hall to their right. She thought she recognized it, but then she had been so caught up with talking that it wouldn’t be possible for her to know where she was. She smiled, though, knowing she had been able to hang out with her big brother-guardian—as it was now apparently—for two hours! She hadn’t let time just fly by either; she had already learned so much more about their culture! They were more like humans than she could have imagined, although more like a better kind of human. Well, the Autobots were, anyways. She knew their race could be just as bad as a human criminal or worse—Megatron, for instance— but she couldn’t help not making the five of them out to be bad in any way. They were just too awesome for that.

She looked over at Jazz, her smile brighter and a little less mischievous. She was glad he was her guardian and, more importantly, her friend. Normally she wouldn’t consider someone she barely knew a friend—perhaps an acquaintance or companion at best—but he was different. So were the others, although she hadn’t spent enough time with them just yet. Still, she could confidently consider the silver mech her friend, or at least her ideal of a friend. And it was nice. It was nice to know he cared, that he wanted to talk with her, and wanted to look out for her, even if it was because she was the Allspark. Yet, Jazz wasn’t the kind of guy to do all that just because she was their life-giving artifact, or she was pretty sure of that, anyways. He’d been kind to her before her change, after all, and he didn’t treat her like she was the Allspark. No, he treated her like she was still just Catherine—still just her.

“What’re ya lookin’ at me like that fo', shorty?” he grinned, and she blinked in surprise, not realizing he had looked over.

She flushed a little as she grinned back, “Oh, just thinking is all, and no I’m not going to tell you about what. Granted, you’ll probably figure it out somehow being a spy and all.”

He chuckled again and she looked away, smiling only to herself now, and kept busy watching the walls pass by and wondering how the robot even knew where they were going. Whatever the reason, it only took a few more minutes before they were passing underneath a familiar archway that led them into a darker, familiar room where Bumblebee still lay at the mercy of Ratchet’s working hands, and Sam and Mikeala were still talking with him. Although, it was more of Sam talking and Mikeala watching them, smiling at the young man’s childish demeanor around his “car”.

Jealousy burned at Catherine’s insides a little, but she quelled it with the thought that she had her own alien friend to talk with and to protect her, too, and Jazz was way better. Even if he didn’t have those adorable blue, child-like eyes, or the adorable whirring and facial expressions, or that British accent. There was no comparison. None at all.

And I’m totally lying to myself. Bumblebee looks so cute talking to them like that! She gushed, making the “aww” face. She counted herself lucky nobody—not even her transportation— noticed because she had a feeling it was be hard to explain why she found it cute. Oh, and Jazz would undoubtedly tease her for it. He already had enough one-ups on her; he didn’t need anymore.

“Good, you’re back,” Ratchet spoke, though his eyes were still trained to the piece of metal he was welding. “The humans should be here anytime soon, so I hope you have some explanation prepared for them.”

“No worries, ‘Ratch. Got it all figured out,” the silver mech grinned as he set Catherine down beside the other two teenagers. She smiled at both—Sam more so than Mikeala—and joined them in their Indian-style sit. She waved at Bumblebee when he welcomed her back, and then took a few moments to look down at his legs. Ratchet was doing incredible by her standards. Granted, it could actually be slow for him, but, in her opinion, already having both legs already extended to the knee joint was phenomenal! ‘Bee could easily be up and walking within the week if the medic didn’t run out of materials.