Optimus didn't come back.
The base was more tense than usual. You kept your nose out of it.
They were all frantically searching for the answer as to why Optimus lost his memories, the deduction didn't take long. Damn the heroes, they always leave it up to everyone else to clean up after them.
Speaking of a huge mess.
Then there was the contingency plan. The key card that would jump start Optimus Primes memory, which just happened to be located on Cybertron. And it wasn't a mission just the bots could, Jack would have to be the one to embark on such a mission even though June was completely against the idea.
The bickering was tiresome, there was only one option as far as you could tell, there shouldn't even be a debate. Send Jack to Cybertron or there goes the leader of the autobots, you wondered how long it would be until tensions rose high enough.
"Are you going to comment on this?" June huffed at you, looking for someone to back her up. You had no idea why she asked you though, you had given zero indication that you were interested on the matter nor concern that Jack would be sent to a completely different planet to potentially die.
You sat up from your usual perch and stared down at them, "don't get me involved, I don't care what you do, just tell me what to do and who to claw," you yawned and stretched. It was the simplest thing to do, just go where told then you wouldn't have to get into the nitty gritty planning phase and could nap until there was something to fight.
"In the meantime, (y/n), I request that you locate the Decepticon shop," Ratchet asked.
With a complaining whine you laid back down on your beam, "come on Ratchet I just got out of a potentially life ending experience of almost getting squished, can't I nap a little longer," you complained. You just wanted a bit longer to sleep, your perch was more comfortable than usual and for once you would openly admit that you were tired.
Your energy wasn't endless.
Arcee shot you a stare, you knew that look all too well, it was that stare that could make you do what was asked, "not going to work this time," you grumbled as you rolled over to face away. Just half an hour more than you'd get rolling.
"Lazy furball," Bulkhead said under his breath.
"What's you say 2 tonnes of a waste of space," you scoffed, getting to your paws.
"You heard me," he glowered at you.
You had to admit, that condescending tone, that tone where just because he was a big bot and therefore larger than you gave him authority and judgement over you, it made your fur rise and your claws itch.
"Bulkhead," Arcee warned. Her tone was firm, a clear warning for Bulkhead to shut his mouth.
Like that stubborn bot ever learned to choose his words. "No Cee, that cat needs to know what's up," Bulkhead shook her off and glared at you, "you're the waste of space, there's only one bot here that can barely stand you, no one has wanted you here since day one. Now that the one bot that is the only reason why you're not a lab rat or dead needs help, you're too tired?!" His voice boomed. "You're a feral animal, a mad dog that should have been put down years ago, vermin that should have been eradicated years ago because the only thing you are capable of is murder."
Those words stung, as if you could physically feel it drive a knife in, you knew that Bulk was just blowing smoke but the pounding in your head made your head hurt, and it triggered your response to fight.
Bulkhead barely had time to move before you flew from your perch, slamming him to the ground, your claws were on his throat, "not so tough now, where's those fragging tough words now, big guy," you roared at him. "Because words can't save you from the hole I'll put in your throat! Then try talking!"
You tried to hide the tears that pooled in your eyes, they were a mix of hurt and pure fury, you would make Bulkhead eat his words, take them back because you weren't what he said you were. Were you? You glanced around at everyone. He was right no one cared about you here, they all keep you at arms length because all they see are teeth and claws. They all walk on eggshells, you're not stupid, it was easy to notice, they all watched you as if you were some monster that would kill them at any second.
You were never wanted there.
There's no place for you there.
"Do it! Prove to everyone what we all know that you're nothing but a worthless monster!" Bulkhead yelled.
You raised your claw to end him. But glanced around at the eyes on you. Arcee and Jack were more worried about you than Bulk. Miko was scared for the damn oversized bot. Bumblebee didn't know what to do, he glanced at Arcee, Ratchet and back at Bulkhead wondering if he should do anything.
Then there was Ratchet, he was tense, you knew he was waiting for the worst to happen.
Disgust was all you could see on their faces. You looked at your paws, sharp claws curled out and played upon the metal of Bulkhead next, it would be easy just a swipe. It was all those paws were good for.
Killing.
Bulkhead was right.
The energy in your muscles faded and you hopped away from Bulkhead, "frag you," you spat and turned away, "like I wanted to hang around this dump anyway." That's when the heat in your veins went cold, the mind, numb, you didn't even glance at Arcee.
You prowled out of base, glad to just be out of there.
It was where you belonged, where no one could find you. It would probably be in everyone's best interest if you never came back.
Bulkhead got to his feet. "Glad that cats gone," he grumbled as he got to his feet.
But as soon as he did a fist crossed his face, then a second hit, and a third sent him to the ground again "Proud of yourself Bulkhead?" Arcee snapped at him. He didn't meet her eyes, a mad Arcee was never a pretty thing, she may be small but when mad she was terrifying.
"We were all thinking it," Bulkhead huffed.
Bumblebee caught Arcee's arm before she thrashed Bulkhead. There was a heartbroken look in her eyes, as she tried to raise her fists again, all that progress with (y/n), she was starting to be herself again, she was starting to be happy and at peace with who she was, rebuilding bridges with the team and now Bulkhead had ruined it, Arcee knew that it was back to square one, because that cat could take physical wounds but she knew it was words that hurt her the most. Her spark ached, already knowing what was going to happen, she would stay away from everyone and she was missing having (y/n) around already . "She was just starting to come around and you've fragger everything up again!" Arcee yelled at Bulkhead. "You're a bigger child than she is, she has done nothing to you and you still hate her. She's just a kid."
"When will you get it through your head Arcee, that is not some sweet, lovable kid, it's a killing machine that will sooner or later slit all our throats!" He yelled as he got to his feet.
"But that's my ward! My responsibility! She's-" More precious to her than any of them would ever know. Arcee threw Bumblebee off and glared at Bulkhead. "And if I have to choose between you and her, it's her because if you ever say that scrap to her again, you'll have more to worry about," Arcee snapped at him as she turned and walked away.
"You shouldn't have said that," Bumblebee beeped at Bulkhead.
Bulkhead sighed in frustration and walked away, the other direction from Arcee.
"I take it Bulkhead doesn't like (y/n) that much?" Miko questioned Ratchet.
"Bulkhead can't see past his preconception of (y/n)'s kind," Ratchet sighed.
"What happened, did (y/n) do something?" Jack asked.
"As all young creatures are, they are born innocent, however (y/n)'s kind were brought to the pits of Kaon to fight in the gladiator ring and by the time of the war they were all mindless beasts, their minds twisted and warped, killing machines." Ratchet explained. "(y/n) has done nothing except belong to a species we know very little about but know of the vast devastation her kind can cause."
"Doesn't mean (y/n) would do it, right?" June asked.
"No, she wouldn't," Ratchet asked, "but that is because she has been taught by Arcee morals and what not but it could also be she has not experienced the sheer torture her kind were put through for sport," Ratchet sighted sadly.
"Poor Arcee," Bumblebee beeped.
"What's wrong with Arcee?" Raf asked.
"It's obvious to everyone here that Arcee has a parental attachment to (y/n), Bulkheads mouth is the reason that she is so closed off in the first place and I fear this will further drive a wedge between them and everyone here," Ratchet said sadly, "it was a shame because I was just starting to tolerate that cat," he grumbled.
"Will that cat come back? Because for security purposes she can't just roam about where she pleases," Fowler grumbled.
"She'd do that whether you like it or not but it's up to her, when you're alone in this vast and wide galaxy words such as this can be sharper than knives."
And it was back to silence. Arcee tried calling, you never answered the com, she didn't know if you had turned your collar off completely or if you were just ignoring everyone that tried to get in contact with you.
"Cat, you know Bulkhead is an idiot, not everything he said is true because you are wanted, I care, you know I care..." She knew that she could beg into that comlink for hours but you wouldn't answer, "just call me when you're coming home." She sighed deeply, it was the same as last time, Bulkhead runs his mouth and you leave, this time you were coming around being happy once again but.... Arcee wondered if you'd come back this time.
Arcee walked back out into the main hangar. "Ratchet?! You awake! This is an emergency!" It was a call from Fowler.
"Agent Fowler is it Optimus?" Ratchet asked.
"It's cons and they're busting into the same military research lab they hit 2 months ago," Fowler informed.
"Another space bridge?" Bulkhead asked.
"For all we know Optimus is riding with them," Arcee added, she needed a good fight, let off some steam before she decided to pound Bulkhead into next week.
"Roll out," Ratchet ordered.
It was out of the frying pan and into the fire, "Drop the power source!" Bulkhead yelled at Breakdown and Knockout.
"Missing someone," Knockout smirked.
Con engines roared overhead, firing at them, completely missing and as they flew by the Autobots blew them out of the sky.
It was the perfect distraction, "we'll be sure to tell the big O you say hello," Knockout smirked as he and Breakdown scurried through the ground bridge.
Arcee transformed and went after them, barely making it into the ground bridge after them.
She slammed into the back of Knockouts head and kept driving. Around the corner more cons waited, she dodged the blaster fire and once close enough she transformed, leaping over the first one, blasting it. She then dealt with the next few.
"Where's Optimus?" She demanded. "Answer me!" She was in no mood for the cons and the more she thrashed, made her feel just a bit better. They were refusing to answer, they weren't unarmed, so if they weren't going to answer her, she was going to scrap them.
She transformed again and continued through the halls of the Decepticon ship.
More Decepticons always took their place, until Soundwave appeared at the end of one of the halls. But before she could pound him into next week a ground bridge opened.
Sending her to the Antarctic. She screamed in anger.
After a bit of shivering she was bridged back to base and checked over by Ratchet. She was seething, she could have done something anything but everything was for naught.
"You weren't able to determine the Decepticons location or if Optimus was even aboard the ship?" Ratchet interrogated, it was obvious by the tone of his voice he just needed to know if Optimus was alive.
"I- I couldn't confirm," Arcee answered disappointed.
Bulkhead roared in anger and slammed his fist upon one of Ratchets tools. "Bulkhead!"
"What you needed that? What I need is our head honcho back!" Bulkhead yelled.
"It's not your fault," Jack spoke up, trying to help Arcee in anyway. He had a glimpse into their world and it seemed that Arcee was down on her luck. Optimus was their leader who everyone looked up to, the there was (y/n) she was something to Arcee, their relationship was something that they would never admit except being carer and the ward. Jack had spent enough time with the two to know there was more, that even though they were completely different species, Arcee was (y/n)'s mother and (y/n) Arcee's daughter.
"It any of us needed rescuing Optimus would have found a way," Arcee argued. "I didn't, simple as that," she was still beating herself up over something she had no control over.
The coma beeped. "Ratchet! What happened out there?" Fowler asked on the call. "Reports indicate at least a dozen wounded, the heats on me to provide an explanation, you bots better get your act together or the pentagon will make me shut down your base," Fowler warned.
"But where would you go?" Raf asked
"Who knows," Ratchet grumbles, "maybe they'll ship us out to some island or fire into space wouldn't that be a welcome relief."
"I don't blame Fowler, Optimus would have evacuated all humans from the area before engaging the cons," Arcee spoke up.
"We don't actually know what Optimus would have done because he's not here!" Bulkhead screamed at Arcee.
Arcee pretty much had enough of Bulkhead at that point, "you're pretty good at stating the obvious Bulkhead anything you'd like to mention that we already know?" Arcee snapped at him.
"Nothing I can say in front of ten children," Bulkhead glared.
"Hey!" Jack cut in, "Aren't we overlooking one positive nobody's talking about what the cons just got their claws on."
"Yes we've managed to allow them to finally acquire a power source for their space bridge," Ratchet ranted
"And how exactly would that be a positive?" Arcee questioned.
"We let them finish building their space bridge," Jack suggested
"Why? So they can bring some more zombies back from Cybertron!" Bulkhead snapped.
"No, so we can commandeer it and use it to send me to Cybertron," Jack volunteered.
"That's a good idea," Miko chimed it.
"Well if Miko thinks it's a good idea," Arcee scoffed.
"Nobody's saying it will be easy but you've seized a space bridge before," Jack argued.
"We blew one up, that's a whole lot different than the three of us seizing and holding one ," Bulkhead corrected.
"We don't even know where that is," Bumblebee beeped
"Bees right we'd have to find the thing first," Arcee added.
"Well, well," A voice chimed in. Everyone turned to face the voice and perched in her favourite spot was (y/n).
"You're back!" Jack said in shock.
"For once I decided to be petty and prove who the lazy one is, looking at you Bulkhead," (y/n) hissed. Arcee was still stunned, she had thought that you wouldn't come back.
"So do you have anything useful?" Bulkhead grumbled.
"Of course I do because I wanted to watch you writhe when I make you eat your words," (y/n) huffed, "I know where the ground bridge is."
"See I can be useful," you chirped.
"And how did you find this out?" Ratchet questioned.
You flexed your claws with a wicked grin, "it's amazing how quick engineers on the ship will talk."
Arcee shook her head at you but there was a proud smile on her face. "We're just glad that you came back although I do need to have a talk about you not answering your com."
You put your paws up in surrender, "I was in the cover of shadows, one single sound could have gotten me busted," you argued. Your attention then turned to bulkhead with a wicked grin, "so how does it feel tubby, all you do is stomp around and smash things, when despite you being a piece of garbage I still go and do my part to help Optimus," you smirked, you knew it made him mad, you could see it on his face.
"Okay call it a truce you two," Ratchet intervened, we now need to plan how to rescue Optimus and comandeer that space bridge."
"And by the way Bulkhead," you shifted and sat on your perch, crossing your legs.
"You made your point, I'm eating my words, what do you want now," he grumbled.
You held the finger up at him, "drag you, that's all," you grinned.
" (y/n)!" Arcee scolded.
"What he deserved it?!" You pointed out to Arcee.
"This is your only pass," Arcee said with a small smiled.
"I'd like to see you try and stop me," you huffed.
She crossed her arms and frowned at you. You quickly shut up, that was enough of testing Arcee's patience when there wasn't a lot of it.
"You okay cat?" Arcee asked. Everything has settled down even though there was an edge.
The humans had gone home and everyone was recharging for the night. You hopped down from your perch.
You brushed against Arcees legs, "You care right?" Arcee kneeled down a hand resting on your head.
"Yes, you know i do," Arcee replied as she scratched behind your ears.
You still felt conflicted on the inside, were you really what Bulkhead said, a killer?. You'd never know, you never knew your birth parents and if they were like the monsters in Bulkheads stories, did that make you one as well.
"Am I a monster?" You asked, genuinely needing to know that answer. Arcee pulled you into her arms, you felt so small.
"You're not, you know you're not," Arcee assured. "Okay," she brushed her hand over your forehead straightening out some tuffs of fur. "It doesn't matter what your kind did, you're what matters and you're good, you're not all about claws and death, one day, when this war is over you'll see that."
You leaned into her grasp, you never believed her before but for some reason this time, when you listened to her without the anger in your veins, she sounded genuine, "thank you Arcee."
Her hold suddenly became tight, "and cat."
"Hmmm?" You asked.
"If you don't answer your com or let me know where you're going, you're grounded," she warned.
"But Arcee," you whined.
"No buts, now get to bed," she scolded pointed to your perch or the couch. You shifted and took the couch. "And to make sure you get the hint go radio silent without clearing it with me and you'll lose fast food privileges."
"I get Arcee, please no," you whined. Not the burgers, she couldn't ban you from burgers.
"This is your first and last warning, don't t tempt ," she said firmly.
"Okay, sheesh I get it, can I go to bed now," you complained she nodded and headed off to recharge.
"Good night cat," she bid you.
"Good night Cee," you replied, she smiled at you one last time as she headed down the halls.