Sam walked outside and everyone turned to look at him. Sam chuckled,
"You all look like worried parents,"
Will crossed his arms,
"Hey, don't age me more,"
Sam smiled,
"She's okay, she is reading a letter my dad wanted her to get,"
Jazz frowned,
"I thought they had a bad relationship?"
Sam sighed and shrugged,
"My dad and Maze got along until she left for the army...then things got a little tense between my parents and her,"
Ratchet was about to ask him a question but Mazikeen walked out of the house with a determined look on her face,
"Who wants to give me a ride back to the house?"
That caused everyone to stare at her. Eddie walked up to her first and put a hand on her shoulder,
"Maz, you sure?"
Mazikeen nodded,
"Yep, I have to talk to them,"
Jazz turned into his alt-mode and opened up his passenger side door,
"Well, get in Lil M,"
Mazikeen sighed,
"As much as I would love to, I have to take one of you that my parents won't recognize because Sammy said that we were going to Mikaela's house for a few days,"
Arcee transformed into her motorcycle,
"Well, time for a femme's touch,"
Mazikeen laughed and smiled at Arcee,
"Awesome, first time for everything!"
Will sighed,
"Oh, this is my worst nightmare, Mynx getting on a motorcycle,"
Mazikeen glared at him,
"I can literally fly,"
Fig smirked,
"Which is different from a motorcycle,"
Mazikeen shoved him and got on Arcee,
"Let's roll out!"
Arcee laughed and the two left. Jazz was about to transform back but Mikaela put a hand on his hood,
"Woah there cowboy, we are following right after them,"
Sam looked at his girlfriend in surprise,
"We are what?"
Mikaela laughed,
"I am taking Jazz and we are going to follow after those two,"
Sam crossed his arms,
"What about me?"
Mikaela smiled at him and kissed his cheek,
"Sam, Maze needs to do this by herself, she also does not want you to see what happens,"
Sam sighed,
"Story of my life,"
Will patted Sam's back,
"That's just how Mynx is, trust us,"
Sam sighed and looked at Mikaela and Jazz,
"Okay, fine, go and make sure she is okay,"
Mikaela nodded and got in Jazz as he sped off,
"So, why did you decide that we are following her?"
Mikaela smirked,
"Well, you seemed like you were going to blow something up if we didn't,"
"I would not have,"
"Jazz, you care about Maze. I do too. So this works out,"
Jazz sighed,
"She puts a lot of pressure on herself...I just want to help her,"
Mikaela smiled and patted his dashboard,
"Heavy the burden does the oldest carry. It's why Sam never remembered her arguing with their parents, she made sure he never saw any of it. I know you want to help her, and so do I,"
"I can not process that her mother does not care for her,"
Mikaela sighed and looked out his window,
"Some parents are not meant to be parents here. Some kids are accidents. I don't need Maze to tell me to know that she was not fully planned. Sam was, but she was the first and I think they made a few mistakes in how they supported her. Judy has a different view on how girls should act, I could tell the first time I met her. Maze was born to do what she is right now, Judy was hoping she would change,"
"But not everyone wants to change who they are,"
"Exactly."
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐧
Mazikeen stopped right in front of the house and sighed,
"Okay, wait out here while I talk to them,"
"You got it. Just breathe,"
Mazikeen nodded and walked up to the door. She hesitated for a few minutes before she finally knocked on the door. Ron answered and he was surprised to see his daughter in front of him,
"Mazikeen,"
Mazikeen smiled softly at him,
"Hey, dad...I got your letter,"
Ron immediately pulled her into a tight hug as he sighed in relief,
"It worked,"
Mazikeen giggled and hugged him back,
"Yeah, it did...is mom here?"
Ron nodded and looked at her,
"I have your back,"
Mazikeen smiled and patted his shoulder,
"I know."
They walked deeper into the house,
"Ron? Who was at the door?"
Judy stopped in her tracks to see her daughter right next to her husband,
"Mazikeen!"
She hugged her tightly and Mazikeen smiled and hugged her back,
"Mom,"
Judy let her go and looked over her,
"Are you feeling okay? Did you and Sam have food? Is Sam here?"
Mazikeen shook her head,
"No, I left Mikaela's house to talk to you both,"
Judy nodded and the three sat down on the couch,
"So, what is it?"
Mazikeen sighed and looked at her mom,
"I am going back to the army,"
Judy frowned and hardened her stare,
"No,"
"Well, it is not really much of a question, it's a statement,"
Judy shook her head,
"It's too dangerous for you. You almost died!"
Mazikeen stood up and stared at her mother,
"But I did not die!"
"BUT YOU COULD HAVE!"
Judy stood up and stood face to face with her daughter,
"You could have died! I don't want to lose you!"
Mazikeen crossed her arms,
"Well, you already did,"
Judy frowned in confusion,
"What do you mean?"
"You have never once supported me! You have always tried to push me to be someone else! I just wanted a mother that said she was proud of who I am. Someone who was proud of all that I have done,"
"It is not natural for a girl to like weapons! Or to invent!"
"But that is who I am!"
"It shouldn't be!"
Ron stepped up and put a hand on his wife's shoulder,
"Judy,"
"Not the time, Ron,"
"No! This is the time,"
Judy stared at her husband,
"What are you saying?"
Ron sighed and gestured to Mazikeen,
"Maze has accomplished things that no one else has! She is a Captain in the army and the only female one currently. She has created things that people dream about. She is the human Liaison for an alien race! She is amazing just the way she is and we missed everything! We missed her first fight, we missed her first invention, we missed so much because you wanted her to be someone else,"
Judy sighed and looked at Mazikeen,
"You talked to him about all of this?"
Mazikeen crossed her arms,
"Well, he listened pretty good when I was younger,"
Judy shook her head,
"Just leave,"
Mazikeen's eyes widened,
"What?"
Judy pointed to the door,
"Leave this house, I don't want to see you again,"
Ron's eyes widened,
"Judy,"
Judy shook her head,
"No. She is no daughter of mine."
Mazikeen looked down and put a hand on her father's shoulder,
"I'll go, thanks for trying,"
Ron watched as his daughter left and looked at Judy,
"I can't believe you just did that!"
Mazikeen closed the door after her to stop hearing the screaming match going on inside. She closed her eyes and pushed her bonds to the side. She walked up to Arcee and grabbed the helmet,
"Let's go,"
"What happened?"
Mazikeen sighed and shook her head,
"I gave up. Let's just go back to Will's house,"
Arcee started driving but took a turn and Mazikeen glanced around,
"Arcee? You missed the turn to head back,"
"Oh, we are not going back,"
"What? Why not?"
"It's time you take a break,"
"What do you mean?"
Arcee stopped in front of a pizza parlor that Mazikeen was familiar with,
"Arcee?"
Arcee turned on her holo-form.
Mazikeen sighed and took her hand and Arcee dragged Mazikeen inside the pizza parlor,
"How did you know about this place?"
Arcee smirked,
"I did my research,"
Mazikeen stared at her,
"Sam told you?"
Arcee chuckled and nudged her as they were seated,
"Yeah, he might have,"
Mazikeen chuckled,
"I figured,"
Arcee looked at her,
"We might not have a strong bond, but I felt you shutting everyone off,"
Mazikeen sighed and looked down at her hands,
"I didn't want to feel anything anymore,"
Arcee grabbed her hand and squeezed it,
"You don't have to. Just let it out,"
Mazikeen looked up and into her blue eyes,
"Arcee...I can't let it out...because if I did...I don't know what I will do,"
Arcee frowned,
"How long have you held off on this?"
Mazikeen sighed,
"My mom has always acted weird with me, ever since I started showing interest in inventions, sports, and anything she didn't classify as girly. When I joined the army, she completely shut me out. She hated that I joined the army, it wasn't anything she expected from me. She wanted me to be like her, she doesn't work and just does housework. I don't want that, never have,"
"And...because you don't...that makes her feel different things toward you than she does Sam?"
Mazikeen nodded,
"Yeah...Sam doesn't know that much, I didn't want him to see any of that. My dad apologized...but my mom...well...she threw me out. I just got disowned,"
Arcee frowned,
"Disowned?"
Mazikeen nodded,
"Yeah."
The pizza was dropped off at the table and Mazikeen took a bite as Arcee tried processing what Mazikeen said,
"What does disown mean?"
"It means that I'm no longer a part of the family. I still have my last name, but to them, I'm just another person,"
Arcee's jaw dropped,
"What?!"
Mazikeen looked down and nodded,
"Yeah...I guess Judy got tired enough of me,"
Arcee sighed and grabbed her hand again,
"Maze,"
Mazikeen shrugged,
"It's okay, honest,"
Arcee shook her head,
"Don't just settle,"
Mazikeen smiled at her and shrugged,
"It's what I have been doing my entire life,"
Arcee sighed but said nothing as Mazikeen finished her pizza.