Sweat was dripping down the bridge of my nose and the back of my neck. I was breathing heavily for the few hours I had been training with Ironhide, learning how to fight hand to hand combat. No powers, just skill. Previously I had been an extremely athletic person, but never have I underwent this level of intensity. The muscles of my body were fatigue, telling me to stop to rest. The rest of the autobots were training on their own with NEST soilders, but I knew they watched me intently from time to time.

"Your form is getting sloppy." Ironhide's holoform informed me as I was punching and dodging his oncoming fists. Taking his note, I breathed in heavily to provide my muscles with oxygen. I reminded myself of one goal and one goal only. Don't lose. If this were a real fight, you wouldn't give up. You would have no choice. It's either life or death and death was not an option.

"Focus Sophia. Pay attention to my body's intentions." Ironhide reminded me of the techniques he had taught me earlier during our training session. I focused on his adomen where the shifting of his muscles would determine his next move. Ironhide threw a punch in which I quickly dodged by ducking, giving me the opportunity to strike. I punched him in the stomach...hard.

Ironhide stumbled a few feet back, but showed no sign of pain, only satisfaction at the move I had just made. "You're improving in quite a short amount of time." My heart was racing irregularly as I tried to catch my long lost breath. I smiled, "If you think that, then pretty soon I guess I'll be kicking your ass."

Ironhide burst into laughter. "I'd like to see that. If that day ever comes." I chucked, standing up straight. "O it will." Ironhide only smirked, "I think that is enough for the time being. We will return to training tomorrow."

"Will do Mr. Weapons Specialist." I joked as I sloppily saluted him as he walked away. Seeing that Ironhide was done, the rest of the team exited the training facility to go about their day's duties. From all the energy I had just burned off, I headed to my apartment to make a salad to retain some strength. Optimus had managed to get the autobot to clean up my apartment and fixed the things I had damaged. He simply explained to them that I was mourning my father, nothing more.

I could already feel the soreness of my muscles starting to settle in from the days's training which had lasted about four hours. But fighting hand to hand helped me relive my stress. Having nothing else to, I decided to go back to the sparring room to train alone and lose myself in a world of focus and precision. Hooking up a punching bag, I hit the damn thing about a million times, causing sweat to reappear on my body. Each punch was harder, each kick was higher, each breath was deeper as I trained myself with everything that I possibly possessed. When the time comes for a fight I want to be ready and have a strong mental ability to surpass anyobstacle that comes my way. My obstacle at the moment was the fatigue mess that my body caught itself in. Focused on the task at hand, I didn't hear the door open.

"I'm surprised you still have the energy to even continue training." Lennox's voice echoed throughout the room. I didn't answer until I punched the bag so hard that it detached from the ceiling and flew across the room. Turning to him sweating and breathing heavily I answered, "Honestly Lennox I can say that same thing, but get used to it. Just prepare yourself and the autobots for a good ass whopping." I threatened him jokingly while trying to catch my breath. He smirked, "Don't get too ahead of yourself. I've been here for years and well you..." He stopped mid sentence and counted his finger, "one day." Rolling my eyes, I looked to him as I went to hook up another punching bag to the low ceiling. "O I get it, you're just too afraid to get your ass whooped by a girl." I teased Will.

He crossed his arms in amusement at our light conversation, "That's not an accurate assumption to make. I've gotten my ass whooped by girls such as my wife. She's always right." We both chuckled at his comment. I could see a hint of sadness in his eyes as he mentioned his wife, he missed her terribly, but he didn't show much of it. Will's strong frame and smile hid it all.

"If she can whoop your ass then she sounds like a pretty amazing woman to me." I mentioned to him as I began to get ready to continue my self training. Will smiled, looking to the floor, "Yeah she is..."

"Hey you should probably get some rest and save up some energy for tomorrow." Will told me as I punch vigorously. I stopped and looked at him, "I'm fine Will. The more training, the better."

"Suit yourself. But don't over do it." Will commanded me while leaving the room. "Got it." I said lowly and heavily while making another punch. Will began to exit the room, but he turned around last second, "By the way, Prime was wondering where you were. Don't be surprised if you get another visitor." Great just great. Seeing him will only remind me of the things I've done. "Okay." I simply responded.

After about another thirty minutes, I was surprised not to see Optimus come in to check up. I didn't mind though since I wanted to train alone. I decided to stay for another half an hour and then I would wrap it up.

Still punching my way through all my feelings, stress, guilt, fear, and anger I felt something...watching me. Maybe I'm just getting a little too tired, but usually my intuition is not something to be ignored. Looking to my right I saw a pair of red eyes peek from the corner of the window. Taking a second look, nothing was there except the glass of the window.

"Great Sophia. Now you're going crazy." I told myself. Being on edge, I heard the door open slowly and I quickly prepared myself to fight. Not expecting it at the moment, Optimus walked into the room looking a little confused when he saw me look like I was ready to kill someone. Relaxing my body, I took a deep breath relieved from seeing his face. "Sophia, are you alright?" Optimus asked me concerned. "Yeah I'm fine. Why?" I questioned him trying to play it off cool. "You seem...on edge."  Optimus described my exact feeling at the moment. I shook my head, putting my hands on my hips. "No, I'm okay."

To make my little episode of hallucinations seem as if it didn't happen, I returned to punching and punching and even more punching. Optimus had approached where I worked and blocked my fist that was making its forceful way into the cushion of the bag. I looked at him, a little irritated. "What gives?"

"You need to rest. You've been in here long enough." Optimus told me with a serious tone. "Mm I'm okay." I went to punch the bag one more time and yet again Optimus blocked it again. He grabbed my shoulders and turned my body to face him. "Sophia, I'm not suggesting it. I'm ordering you to rest." Optimus told me sternly. What's his deal today. The beating of my irregular heart was loud and I hope Optimus couldn't here it. "O so now you're my boss...okay almighty Prime I'll stop, if you allow me to challenge you to a fight." I little smile crept onto my face.

"You are too fatigue to do so. That time is for another day." Optimus looked down on me as he said so. "It's either now or never. If you don't want to then you can leave and I can continue what I was doing." Crossing my arms, I waited his response. "Very well." Optimus sighed seeing that I don't give up easily.

Being a little giddy, I quickly made my way to the center of the sparring mat. Optimus soon joined me. I also noticed a little smile itching at the corner of his mouth. "Come on Prime loosen up." I smiled widely ready for the challenge that was coming my way.

"Never show any signs of emotion on the battlefield." Optimus told me before attempting to strike which I quickly dodged. "O so that's how it's gonna be." I teased him. "I guess so." Optimus slightly smirked before striking once more.

My muscles were getting tired due to the previous training, but caught up in the moment I didn't notice. Almost every punch, Optimus would dodge. He landed a few on me, but I knew he was holding back. We sparred over 15 minutes until I began to notice him starting to corner me. I didn't know how to get out of my situation and before I knew it, he pushed me back into the wall, our faces inches apart. He was breathing heavily, "Never allow your opponent to corner you." I only smiled before I used the force of my body to push him out of his current position causing him to fall to the ground onto his back. I pounced onto him while pinning his arms down. "Don't underestimate me." I reminded him in a low voice. Being the all experienced fighter he is, he wrapped his legs around my waist and rolled me over where he was on top of me, my legs and arms pinned to the ground. Both of us were breathing heavily. Yet again, our faces close.

Optimus quickly cleared his throat, "That is enough for today." He stood up, giving me a helping hand. "Until next time Prime when I'm completely energized. Don't expect such an easy defeat then." I pointed at him, teasing. "Who said it was an easy defeat?" Optimus smiled. "Really? Guess I'm not that bad after all, considering I made your lungs become desperate for air." I chuckled as we both began to head out the room. "For a human who has no experience in fighting, you performed excellently." Optimus told me smiling. "Until next time Prime." I warned him playfully as I made my way to my apartment to shower. "Until next time." Optimus responded.

In the span of the next couple of days, training was just as intense. Ironhide continued to teach me tactics as well as use different weapons such as a knife and gun. At times, I would accidentally use my power in play, but I definitely have improved in controlling myself.

Seeing that, Ironhide allowed some of the autobots themselves to fight with me on occasion. I was able to defeat the twins separately, but together it took a while for them to accept their defeat. Bumblebee was a little tougher to fight, but we could say that we fought at the same level, he just used a different fighting style. I was able to fight with Optimus one more time, but being the Prime that he is, I lost. Sideswipe was too fast and agile to even lay a hand on and in the end I lost to him too.

Aside from the bots, Lennox challenged to fight me. Will was extremely skilled and at times better then some of the bots. Lennox was about the strike me when I wasn't expecting, causing me to shield myself. Throwing my hands up, Lennox flew across the room. He hit the ground and I heard the cracking of his bone. The same sound I had heard when I had hurt my friend the day my powers were revealed to the whole school. "Lennox!" The team swarmed him as I yelled his name. I kneeled next to him, seeing that he was in pain and his leg was bent the wrong way. "I am so sorry Will. Oh my god--"

Ratchet quickly came to his aid, "Stand back!" Ratchet inspected Will then put his leg back into place causing Will to yell in agony. Not knowing what to do, I fled and ran away. I knew I was getting ahead of myself, I'm too dangerous to be near people. People that I care for. A simple sparring match. Screwed up. All because of my inability to control myself.

To avoid talking with anyone, I went to gun practice and practiced my precision. I was mad at myself and I could not explain the guilt I felt. Afraid to face anyone, I decided to stay and practice with a gun until everyone went to bed in which was a good hour. "Hey." I heard softly from my left ear. Putting the gun down and taking my head muffs off, I turned to see Will in a wheel chair, cast covering his left leg.

"O Will, I am so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me." I told him as a tear slipped down my cheek. "Hey don't worry Blackwood. Ratchet gave me a month instead of six. It pays off to have an advanced alien robot as a medic." He smiled at me trying to clam me down. "Yeah I guess so. Does it hurt?" I asked him softly. "At first it always does, but I've had multiple injuries and this is nothing compared to what I've dealt with ." Hearing that caused me to release the tension that body held onto. "I'm still so sorry Will. I just...don't know how to control myself." I looked down ashamed of even making eye contact. "Hey..." I looked up as Will came closer. "There's nothing to feel sorry over. I will be up and healthy in a few short weeks, maybe sooner." I just nodded my head wishing I would have never even fought with him. "I'm going to head up. It's getting kind of late. Get some rest Blackwood." Will told me as he turned his wheelchair. "I will. Night Lennox."

"Night Sophia." He responded as he left the room. Sighing, I continued practicing my aim until I became extremely consistent on the target. Once satisfied with my aim, I set the gun down, shut down the livelihood of the room, and headed out.

Making my way to my apartment, which was all across base, I heard shuffling in one of the hallways. Curiosity arose within me. Following the noise and turning the corner of a hallway, I found a NEST employee fiddling with one of the computers. "Hey solider, you should probably get some rest. Lennox already headed up and soldiers aren't allowed out after." I informed the unfamiliar man that showed no sign of emotion when he turned to look at me. "I was ordered to fix this." His deep voice told me bluntly. "Okay... I'll go confirm with Lennox."

"NO!" The man grabbed my shoulders and threw me down towards the end of the hallway. Unable to recover quick enough, he picked me up and pinned me up against the wall. His foul breath was creeping around my face when I noticed the red in the iris of his eye. My heart dropped. Decepticon. "Seems that I have found one of Megatron's little minions." I tried to hide my fear as I mocked the thing. The holoform transformed into a human sized decepticon, his skin was completely replaced with metal. It chuckled evilly, "Well it seems that I have found what Megatron was looking for."

"Well, you can tell Megatron to kiss my ass." Smirking, I used my ability to push the decepticon off me. He quickly recovered and struck me in the stomach. It hurt, but my adrenaline was pumping. The decepticon was able to take the opportunity to stab my shoulder causing me to scream out in pain. Using my ability, I lifted the decepticon mid air, but blood loss caused my ability to go weak. I lost my advantage on him, giving him the chance to hit me multiple times causing me to bleed in several areas.

It's either life or death. Today was not the day Megatron was going to get his hands on me. Using my strength, I fought back. Being sore from previously training as well blood loss were two factors that were not helpful in any way in this situation. My weakness inhibited my ability and the secepticon was able to choke me up against the wall. "I might as well just kill you. The opportunity is already presenting itself." He mocked me as my lungs were losing the inability to breath.

Before I thought I would lose consciousness, I heard a battle cry before I fell to the floor coughing and gasping for air. Looking up through my groggy eyes, Optimus was fighting the decepticon, pounding him until the red eyed cybertronian could not even move. In a matter of seconds, the red light from the decepticon's eyes vanished.

I felt weak, but I still had the strength to function. Optimus ran over to me picking me up from the floor where I was still coughing. "We need to get you to Ratchet."