"Baby, I'm preying on you tonight
Hunt you down eat you alive
Just like animals
Animals
Like animals
Maybe you think that you can hide
I can smell your scent for miles
Just like animals
Animals
Like animals!"
Vaughan was hanging around at the Autobots base a few days later, listening to that new Maroon 5 song her friend Daphine showed her and the Autobots. The song was really starting to grow on the girl, often finding herself dancing along to it every once in a while when no one was looking.
She hummed along to the lyrics as she walked into the command centre of the base. She quitely sand along to the lyrics as she walked by Optimus Prime and Jazz who were over at Teletraan-1. The Autobots had recently almost finished the repairs to the whole planet, the majority of the work being done while Vaughan was unconcious in the hospital.
"So what you trying to do to me
It's like we can't stop we're enemies
But we get along when I'm inside you
You're like a drug that's killing me
I cut you out entirely
But I get so high when I'm inside you!"
"Vaughan, are listening to that song again?" Jazz asked with a grin.
"Aw, don't tell me you're hating on this song already Jazz!" Vaughan whined.
"Hating? Heck no! In fact I feel the complete opposite." Jazz smiled.
"Good to know." Vaughan nodded. "Why don't you join the party? Bring up your holoform and lets go one on one in a dance off!"
Jazz laughed. "Perhaps another time little lady. I need to finish up here first."
"It's good to see this side of you again Vaughan." said Optimus.
"It's good to be back Prime. I haven't felt this good in days." Vaughan replied.
She plugged her headphones back on her ears and continued to quietly sing along to the song and dance along to the beat.
"Yeah you can start over you can run free
You can find other fish in the sea
You can pretend it's meant to be
But you can't stay away from me
I can still hear you making that sound
Taking me down rolling on the ground
You can pretend that it was me
But no!"
Jazz tapped his foot along with the beat of the song as he and Prime continued to monitor the screens of Teletraan-1. It was good to see Vaughan acting this way. It helped brighten up the Autobots spirits.
Recently Megatron cheated death again, which was starting to become a habit of the Decepticon leader now a days. Starscream tried to take control of the Decepticons with the help of a scientist who supposidly created those mind control chips that took control of Sparkplug and a whole bunch of humans.
After that, the Decepticons got back to what they try to do best. Stealing Earth's resources.
Vaughan continued to dancing along to the music as she twirled around and soundwaves vibrated around her.
Uh oh! Not again!
Once she stopped spinning, the soundwaves scattered across the room, a loud 'BOOM' echoed across the room and rocked the two Autobots back and fourth. Not only that, but it temporalily blacked out Teletraan-1 and then the screens came back to life.
"Oh man, not again!" Vaughan groaned as she slouched on the floor, pausing her music.
This was the second time an accident like this happened. Although when Vaughan did it the first time, Teletraan-1 was blacked out completely and it took Wheeljack and Ratchet hours to repair it.
"Hey, turn that frown upside down." said Jazz as he knelt beside the girl. "It's not so bad this time around."
"Jazz is right, Teletraan-1 is still operational." Optimus added.
"I'm sorry guys." Vaughan apologized with a sniffle. "I'm still trying to get used to the fact that the Decepticons implanted soundwaves into my body."
"Our offer still stands Vaughan, we can help you try to control this new power of yours." Optimus suggested.
"I'd like that a lot Prime, I really would." Vaughan agreed. "But, I just want to get used to them first before I try to go over the limit with them."
"I understand." Optimus nodded. "In the meatime, try to keep it underwraps for now, alright?"
Vaughan smiled at the Autobot leader and nodded, Jazz extending his large hand towards the girl and helping her up.
"I'll keep an eye on her Prime, we're partners after all." said Jazz.
"Very well Jazz. I leave her in your hands." Optimus replied as he made his way back to Teletraan-1.
"Wait, you consider us partners?" Vaughan asked the Autobot.
"Yeah. I figured since we've been through so much together, I would make since we continued to do so." Jazz smiled. "I ain't naming favourites but I've found myself to be liking you a lot Vaughan."
"Wow Jazz, that's such a nice thing to say." Vaughan grinned. "Alright then, you and me, partners."
Vaughan raised her fist in the air in a attempt to fist pump with Jazz, put a soundwave blast escaped her grip and shot Jazz to the floor. Vaughan gasped as she ran over to her new partner. "Jazz are you okay?!"
"Never better Vaughan!" he coughed. "Never better!"
".... Still up for that dance off?" She suggested.
******
After Wheeljack ran a quick check on Teletraan-1's systems, still a bit paranoid when it first went out, he concluded that the system was clean. Vaughan sighed with relief, glad that she didn't cause any trouble with the Autobot engineer again.
Once that was over and done with, he asked the Autobots and human to come join him in his labratory. Had he built a new invention?
Jazz extended his hand out of the girl as she climbed on, and her Autobot partner placed the girl on his shoulder while he followed the rest of the group into the room.
It was then Vaughan realized that this wasn't Wheeljack's doing, it was her uncle.
"We are ready for your demonstration Sparkplug." said Optimus.
"Right Optimus Prime." Sparkplug began, clapping his hands together. "Well, I just wanted to see what I could do with a big pile of spare Autobot parts and a whole lot of human ingenuity."
"So what did you make uncle Sparkplug?" Vaughan asked.
"I built this big guy right here." Sparkplug pulled a lever from his console and a medical bed faced upward towards the group, revealing a large robotic body on the bed, meshed with the Autobot parts he was talking about. "I call him, Autobot-X."
"Wow! It's like some kind of robot Frankenstien monster!" Spike exclaimed.
"Yeah! Let's just hope this one doesn't run out on us." Vaughan added.
"Franken-what Spike?" Bumblebee asked with confusion.
"Aw, it'd take too long to explain Bumblebee." Spike replied.
"Long story short, he's a fictional monster." said Vaughan.
"Now, let's see if my little invention works." Sparkplug pulled on another lever, sparking some wires that connected itself with the console and Autobot-X's helmut. The sparks traveled across the wires, coursing through the Autobot's mind and body.
"Another Autobot?" Ratchet thought aloud. "Even if it works, who needs it?"
Vaughan rolled her eyes at the Autobot. Typical Ratchet, a total grump.
"Hey look! His hand his moving!" Spike exclaimed as he pointed at Autobot-X's hand.
Everyone watched closely as his fingers twitched. His blue optics flashed to life, indicating that he was coming online.
"It worked! He's alive!" Vaughan cheered.
"You see Wheeljack? You're not the only made scientist around here."
But then things started going out of hand. At first everything seemed fine, Autobot-X got up from the medical bed and started walking around. But then Vaughan got down from Jazz to get a closer look at Autobot-X, that's when he started going all beserk! He smashed moniters and tossed computer screens to the side. At one point, one of them was headed for Vaughan, but Jazz quickly scooped her back up, jumping out of the way of the flying computer screen.
"He's not supposed to do that! I--I've lost control over him!" Sparkplug yelled.
"Then we'll need to restrain him." Optimus stated.
"Got'ca boss." Ironhide agreed. "Let's teach him some manners."
Ironhide, Trailbreaker and Prowl moved into the fight, drawing out their laser guns when they drew near to the experiment. Autobot-X growled at their arrival as he literally shot laser blasts right from his finger tips! Vauhgan gasped as the blast struck Trailbreaker right in the chest, the Autobot crashing to the ground as he rammed right into his friends.
Autobot-X fired another laser blast in a attempt to compeletly vaporize them. But before Vaughan could cry out to them, Trailbreaker activated one of his forcefields, protecting him, Ironhide and Prowl. The blast deflected right back to Autobot-X, hitting him right in the shoulders.
"Thanks for the forcefield Trailbreaker. Now it's our turn." Ironhide and Prowl both got up, firing their own laser blasts from their guns and striking Autobot-X. Once the experiement was filled with smoke and eletrical sparks, Ironhide fired a liquid blast at him, knocking Autobot-X to the ground and blacking out.
The rest of the Autobots and humans ran over to him, gathering around the robot Frankenstien. When Vaughan tried to draw near him, Jazz carefully stepped in front of her, signalling her not to move for her own protection. She looked up at the Autobot, nodding.
"Wow dad, you just made a giant Frankenstian robot monster." Spike said with awe.
"Well Prime, I suppose Autobot-X be put in storage." Sparkplug suggested. "At least until I get him perfected."
"Ratchet and I will help." Wheeljack volunteered. "I'd like to figure out how to transfer human impulses to Autobot-X. That way, if an Autobot is damamged, we can transfer their minds to Autobot-X while we do the repairs on their real bodies."
"Talk about spare parts." said Ironhide.
Ratchet seemed so shocked to hear the engineer say that. It was simply for Vaughan to figure out that Ratchet wasn't a big fan of Autobot-X. And he wasn't the only one.
"While that does sound like a neat idea and all, I suggest we leave that thing in storage. I don't mean to sound so harsh Uncle Sparkplug, and to you Wheeljack, but that thing tried to kill me!" Vaughan exclaimed with some slight anger as Jazz knelt beside her, placing a hand around her shoulders to calm her down.
"Your idea may have marret Wheeljack--" said Optimus. But before he could continue, Teletraan-1 started acting all funky as its alarm went off. "There's only one reason Teletraan-1's alarm system would be going off."
"The Decepticons." Vaughan growled.
"According to Teletrann-1, they are in the presence of the New Air Force Rocket Base." said Optimus.
"That's not too far from here!" Spike realized.
"Autobots, transform and roll out! Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl, Windcharger, Brawn, you're with me." Optimus ordered.
The selected Autobots followed their commands as they transformed into their vehicle modes along with their leader. Bumblebee did the same, allowing Spike to climb in.
"What about us Prime?" Jazz asked.
"Yeah! I could help you guys with these new powers I have." Vaughan suggeted with determination.
"It's too risky to reveal your new powers to the Decepticons Vaughan. You could be put at risk." said Optimus.
"Oh, but Spike gets to tag along?" Vaughan asked, hands on her hips.
Optimus Prime said nothing after that. Jazz knelt down beside his human partner again, waving at his leader. "I'll tag along too, for her protection."
".... Very well. But Vaughan, stay by Jazz's side no matter what." Optimus ordered strictly.
"Yes sir." Vaughan saluted with a grin.
Jazz nodded, transforming into his vehicle mode and allowing Vaughan inside. Once she was secure, Optimus took off out of the base, his selected group of Autobots, with the acception of Bumblebee, Spike, Vauhgan, and Jazz, took off for the Air Force Base.
*******
Optimus Prime smashed through the check in gates at the Air Force Base, the rest of the Autobots following his lead as they all came to a halt, transforming into their robot modes and facing the Decepticons. Bumblebee and Jazz allowed their human friends to get out first before transforming, standing protectivly in front of them.
"You know what to do, leave nothing for repairs!" Megatron shouted.
Starscream and Soundwave charged forward at the Autobots as Skywarp and Thundercracker transformed into their jet modes, soaring up into the sky.
"Come on guys, lets zapp'em into scrap!" Ironhide exclaimed as he ran forward.
"Too bad you don't move as fast as you talk." Starscream snarled as he transformed into his jetmode as well, firing and nailing a shot to the Autobot as he flew right past him.
Ratchet and Windcharger hid behind a small building to give the Autobots cover fire, but Soundwave spotted them and blew them out of the way, the two of them crashing to the ground. Vaughan saw this, growling at the site. Oh how she wanted to use her new powers against Soundwave, the one Decepticonwho granted them forcefully to her.
She was about to storm over there right before Jazz stopped her. "No Vaughan, don't stoop to their level."
"But we can't just stand around here!" Vaughan protested.
"Don't need to, look." Jazz pointed at Brawn who snuck up behind Soundwave, grabbing him and lifting him up in their air with his hands, kind of like how a wrestler does it.
"So you Decepticons like to fly do ya? Well go long!" He teased, tossing Soundwave across the air and he smashed right into a rocket, the giant flight vehicle falling to the side as Soundwave bounced off its metal. The rocket exploded with a large blaze as the remaining seekers fired down on the Autobots as they helped escort the milatry personale out of the area.
"Optimus watch out!" Vaughan called.
The Autobot leader heard her call, looking behind him to see Skywarp trying to ambush him with a laser. Prime ducked out of the blasts radius and the laser struck another rocket, lighting up the next two beside into one big explosion.
"The rockets!" Optimus yelled with shock.
"They just-- blew up!" Vaughan gasped.
She looked around at all the carnage and noticed something. They were one Autobot and one human short. "Hey... where did Bumblebee and Spike go?"
She and Jazz looked around for the two, but they were nowhere to be seen. Was the battle so intense that Bumblebee had to get her cousin to safety? Wait, if he did that for him, Jazz would have done it for her seconds ago.
"There is nothing left to take, return to Decepticon headquarters!" Megatron commanded.
The Decepticons did as they were told, transforming into their jet modes and taking off into the sky.
"Yeah you better run!" Vaughan yelled.
Suddenly Megatron transformed into his gun form, Soundwave taking him in the palm of his hand and pointing it down. At first Vaughan thought he was aiming it at her, pay back for opening her big mouth. But once Soundwave open fired, the laser instead struck a very familiar yellow buggie, and the car spun out of control and fell in its side, smoke flowing out from the engine.
And that's where something snapped inside Vauhgan.
"GUYS!" She screamed.
"Spike! Bumblebee!" Optimus called.
She and the Autobots ran over to the scene of the crime. Vaughan slid down to her knees as she pressed her hands and face against the window, looking at her cousin. He didn't seem to have any scraps or blood on him, but he was out cold.
"Hang in there Spike!" said Ironhide.
Ironhide opened up Bumblebee's driver side door and carefully pulled the boy out, holding him in his hands.
"With a little time Bumblebee I should be able to fix you up." Ratchet assured.
"But what about Spike? Is he going to be okay?" Vaughan asked, trying to not let the tears escape her eyes.
"Spike will aquire immediate medical attention if he is to survive." Optimus answered.
"I'll get him to the hospital, fast." said Ratchet as he transformed into his vehicle mode.
"And I'll provide an escort to make it there faster." Prowl added as he transformed into his vehicle mode as well.
Ironhide carefully strapped Spike inside Ratchet before the medical officer took off, Prowl speeding in front of him with his sirens on.
All Vaughan could do was stare at them as they left, feeling her body shaking. Her old memories of her father in the hospital were starting to reappear in her mind again. She closed her eyes shut, a few tears trailing down.
"No, not again!" She spoke. "Anything but this!"
She must have talked louder than she thought she did. Sparkplug ran over to his niece, pulling her in a much needed embrace.
"Hang in there Vaughan. I promise you, Spike will be alright."