literature

Where There's A Spark, There's A Way part 16

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"For the last time, I didn't touch your stupid backpack!" Sari leaned forward, fists on her hips, and glowered at Skyler.
"Who else could have taken it?" The older woman gesticulated at the onlooking Cybertronians. Curious as to what the only humans on base were arguing heatedly about, they'd all formed a circle, staring down. "The only one besides you that could even reach in there is Bumblebee, and you two are thick as thieves!"
Naturally, the Earth phrase went over the helms of the Autobots, as Starscream picked up the general meaning from his partner's mind. Seeing Sari glance guiltily at Bumblebee, Skyler let out a sigh. "Just give it back, okay?" At a glance from Optimus, the little yellow mech shuffled off, helm down.
Bumblebee returned, carrying the bag in his servos. While drawfed by his hand, it contrasted with his paintjob, drawing attention to it. Skyler couldn't take her eyes off it; she always got antsy when it was out of her sight. The backpack was the only real thing she had to remember her parents by.
::You are awfully attached to that thing,:: Starscream commented, fishing for information.
::It's mine,:: she replied in a petulant tone. That sounded familiar. Her eyes widened, remembering the forest discussion. :: Don't say it.::
::Far be it from me to point out the utter hypocrisy in that statement.:: Skyler glared at him as the smirk grew, paling a little as it revealed the pointed dentals. Starscream's optics flared briefly in amusement.
Turning, instead, to glare at Sari, the young girl stuck her tongue out from where she hid behind Bumblebee. Coward.
::If it weren't for the Autobots, I'd gladly step on her for you,:: Starscream offered. And then have to clean off the goo from his pede, likely making Skyler help out with that.
::I wish,:: Skyler muttered darkly.
Starscream raised an optic, watching the smaller organic trail after Bumblebee as the Autobots returned to their usual routines.
Skyler knew those well enough to predict where everyone would be for the next few hours.


::Where are you going?::
She'd actually gotten away from the factory's abandoned complex before Starscream had noticed. ::Getting restless, being cooped up in there so long. And visiting my family. It's a human compassion thing,:: Skyler snapped, ::two words completely foreign to you.:: A few more steps, then stop. ::What? Are you going to come out here and literally drag me back in? You'll have to strap me down, because I'll just keep leaving.:: And how would you explain that to the Autobots, hmm?
The buzz of Starscream's mind increased, trying to figure out how to do just that. He growled reluctantly, ::You do realize I'm going to have to tell the Autobots where you went.:: Maybe he'd wait a little, watch them begin to panic. Or even better, perhaps this would convince the pest to be a little more grateful to him.


"Sis!" Spike said happily, opening his arms for a hug.
"Big bro!" she replied, obliging him with a tight squeeze. "Hey, dad. God, I missed you two. I can't stay too long, but could I come in and shut the door? It's beginning to get a bit nippy out." As she grew up, it almost seemed to get harder to see them as her family. The twenty years of referring to them as such warred with the growing knowledge that they weren't flesh and blood, as much as they cared for each other.


"Hey, sis?" Spike began, peering through the front window. She glanced up from her discussion with Sparkplug about theories for the still-increasing number of domestic robots sent to their garage. The only explanation they could come up with was that it was tied to the arrival of the Cybertronians, because nothing else of significance had happened around the same time. Whatever was out there felt familiar. Oh, no.
"There's...uh..." Should he even tell her? "You might want to take a look at this." Spike saw her eyes widen, his own narrowing in suspicion. "This isn't a surprise to you?"
"Goddammit." Skyler's head thunked down on the table. "Not really, no."
"How is he even here?" Hadn't she said nothing had happened since the Seeker had let her go? Megatron had tracked her to their house, now Starscream? They weren't even in a major point of town, and all this was happening.
"I lied, back when I said there was nothing more," Skyler muttered, finally looking up at both of them. Seeing her father's stern look of disappointment, she protest, "Aww, come on! You'd have completely flipped if I'd told you back then! I just didn't want you to worry. Really, I can handle myself. It's been going pretty well so far; Starscream's been helping the Autobots since I went to stay at their base." Worried that they'd demand she come back home despite the risks, she added, "He's pretty much left me alone, but I bet this is his idea of amusement." Groaning, she held her head in her hands. "I could've just walked back, but noooo." ::You couldn't even wait one hour? Just one?:: Skyler pushed her chair back and shrugged, looking sadly at the two of them. "I'd better go; he can get really pissy." Really? No response to that? Hmm. Maybe he thought it would ruin her suffering.
With her hand on the doorknob, she turned and gave a sad little smile. "I'll be fine. Really. Trust me on this."
"It's not you I don't trust," Sparkplug said darkly.
Yeah, well, I don't really trust him either. But 'no choice'.
One last look filled with longing back at her home, then she stomped over to the jet. As she neared it, Skyler felt a low rumble, causing the air to vibrate. Didn't sound like his previous annoyed growls, though; there was a definite note of amusement there. The noise stopped when she jumped up, fingers catching the rim of the cockpit and hauling herself up to where she could swing herself in.
Skyler glared furiously at the jet's control array. When no answer was forthcoming, she pulled her leg back as far as it would go and kicked the metal panel in front of her with all the strength she could muster. A loud hiss accompanied a visible shifting of the interior panels, ruffling out slightly before replacing themselves seamlessly. "Well?" she snapped.
"The Autobots," Starscream sneered, "unanimously agreed that it was too dangerous for you to be out, and I volunteered..." would she stop kicking him there? Those panels housed delicate instruments and were rather sensitive, "...to retrieve you."
"You just about gave my dad a heart attack!"
"I can't be blamed for the inferior systems of your species. And unless I've misinterpreted your thoughts, you don't share any coding with them."
"I don't have to be blood related for them to be family." She added softly, "They're all I have. And you," Skyler glared and pointed a finger at his monitor array, "do not count." The woman didn't say another word, not even to the Autobots when she stormed into the base, past them and off to a corner to sulk.


Slim blue digits flew rapidly across the control panel, gathering the most important surveillance logs. They would be here soon, and he had to get this data to them. This would affect so many plans; they had to know that the situation had drastically changed.
What is this witchcraft? Two chapters in just a couple of weeks? Blasphemy!
I've been working on updating my old chapters, trying to fix some things that got pointed out in critiques. And correcting the typos and stuff can't hurt. :XD:
But all those updates are being made on FF.net first. Once I've got all them to my satisfaction, then I will make the changes on DA.

In other news, could I have some reviews, critiques about what specifically I'm doing well and what I can stand to improve on?
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Original FF.net version: [link]
© 2013 - 2024 SkylerFarrier
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Firefly-Serif's avatar
Hmm... wonder how screamer feels about that 'family' comment? :?

wonder if he feels left out a bit...