(Chapter contains spoilers)

Third Person Perspective

>~<•>~<

Everything was kind of laid back considering it was a Wednesday. Miko was in detention, Raf, Percy, and Bumblebee were hanging out together, and Jack, (Y/n), and Ratchet were kind of hanging out. It was more like, Ratchet was typing, (Y/n) was doing homework, and Jack was trying to talk to both of them.

You'd think everything was fine until Bulkhead and Miko returned, earlier than expected. They came in talking about Miko's parents and their language. Everything just seemed if-y until Bulkhead said, "because we want the best for you: and that means making sure you go to school not jail."

"Uh oh! What'd you do?" Jack asked from that platform with a grin. Bulkhead then went on to talk to Miko about his past.

"What's with Miko and skipping detention...?" (Y/n) mumbled to herself, shaking her head.

"She hates school. You've known her longer than I have. I thought you'd know that by now." Jack said with an eye roll.

"It's reasonable punishment. Probably the most reasonable if anything." (Y/n) said with an eye roll. Jack frowned, remembering what she had said.

"Yeah..." Suddenly a soft beeping came and Ratchet's voice followed. (Y/n) paid no mind though, just picking out the words "Greece" and "Field trip". She didn't care at the moment and only popped her head up to watch Miko and Bulkhead leave. "You okay?"

"You'd think after learning this stuff over again in two years time it would get easier. But now I'm just confused, because they keep changing this crap. Everyone has a different method and it's annoying. But if I do the method that works for me I'm a lazy student." (Y/n) rambled before flipping the paper.

"Yeah, math's not fun." Jack replied. (Y/n) raised a brow.

"Math's only fun when you can do it the way it works best for you. It's only not fun when you're forced to do it a different way than you're used to. Or if you don't know how to do it." She mumbled before releasing a long held sigh. "I miss middle school."

"Middle school? That was the worst grade." Jack scoffed, clearly not agreeing.

"I mean I miss upsetting my teachers. I liked getting in trouble, I had nothing to lose. Rebellious smart kid, at least that's what they called me." She said with a small grin.

"You? Rebellious? Impossible." He replied, disbelief in his voice.

"Yeah, no one ever believes that. I mean it was just some fights, skipping classes I never needed, and talking back to teachers. Nothing serious."

"I'd think a fight is serious." Ratchet commented, slightly intrigued by the conversation.

"It was just with bullies or people who thought they could fight me. I tried to avoid starting fights, to say the least." (Y/n) responded, finishing with her math homework.

"You don't look like you could put up in a fight." Jack said. (Y/n) took it as something that didn't mean to be offensive, but just sounded offensive.

"Fighting isn't just about muscle Jack, it's technique and using your opponents weaknesses against them." She replied. "For example: you have a height advantage against me, but you're also a pretty sheltered kid, so you don't have much knowledge, I'd assume, on fighting. But I could also take advantage of that to knock you over by your ankle and you would never expect it due to your skill level."

"I-I guess that sounds right..." Jack said sounding nervous.

"I am not going to drop kick you. I was just saying that is one of the easiest ways to get someone of your body type to fall. Besides, the hardest part is restraining them." She replied calmly.

"What about Miko?" Jack asked, to which (Y/n) gave a slight laugh.

"You want to fight Miko? You're great Jack, but she'd beat you pretty easily." Ratchet then coughed to hide a laugh. Jack looked at (Y/n) with an offended pout. "Fine, fine. If she threw a hit at you, your best bet would be to either dodge or grab her wrist. If you want to hit her, you'd have to get her stuck and find which way is best for you to hit her. If you can't get her stuck, then you better hope you got a lucky shot."

"Why are you guys talking about fighting?" Raf asked from where he was helping Percy.

"Because it's something everyone should know how to do." (Y/n) responded, not looking up from her next page of work.

"You think you could take Vince in a fight?" Jack asked. (Y/n) scoffed with a smile and an eye roll.

"I was waiting for you to ask that. If I had the rest I need, most likely. But I'm not going to fight him. That's ridiculous. He might be a jerk, but you should be better than your enemy. If I fought him, then at the end of the day, I'd be no better than him." She replied casually. (Y/n) turned her head to see Optimus and Arcee enter the base.

"You would if you needed to." Jack asked, (Y/n) only nodded.

The two bots transformed and went over to where the three of them were, Optimus speaking to Ratchet and Arcee speaking to Jack. (Y/n) just ignored it and put all her focus back on her work. Not soon after though, Bulkhead commed in for a groundbridge.

'Weird...' (Y/n) thought. She'd think they would've taken longer. Though, she was also new to their base and didn't know they're procedures and such like the others would.

When they did return, of course Miko had a picture. Apparently it was important, because everyone had listened up and came over. (Y/n) decided, it would be best to listen as well.

"It is indeed an energon harvester: a powerful tool created by the ancients; to remove raw energon from any source." Optimus said. To (Y/n) that sounded very bad, though she wasn't sure. She just kept quiet.

"Greek gods knew autobots?" Raf asked.

"No," Optimus replied. "The ancients often used often use the art of a given era to conceal messages. This fresco was obviously a sign post, indicating the harvesters location; hidden somewhere on this planet."

"Uh, Optimus." Jack started. "If the harvester removes energon from anything, and you all have energon pumping inside you—"

"In decepticon hands, the harvester would be a devastating weapon." Percy looked rough (Y/n) with slight fear and confusion. She could only mouth that everything would be ok to him.

Miko said something about Bulkhead being a genius from destroying the fresco, Arcee agreeing, but of course, that wasn't the case. Of course, then Raf had to be the downer and remind them of our internet.

"Contact agent Fowler." Optimus commanded in a more assertive tone.

"You've reaches special agent William Fowler. I'm currently on an intensive training retreat and unavailable till Tuesday—"

"I hate talking to machines." Ratchet grumbled aloud.

"Without Agent Fowler's direct aid, we will have to confiscate the harvester in our own." Optimus informed.

"Woah woah woah! Confiscate?! As in steal museum property?!"

"That sounds... illegal."

After a quick and clear explanation from Optimus, Jack quickly retorted that their size was a problem with stealing from a museum. Miko was quick to offer our help.

"Miko... I'm not sure that's wise." Bulkhead commented.

"But it may be our best option, Bulkhead. The longer we debate the more time we give the Decepticons."

"Well this will be fun..." (Y/n) muttered sarcastically.

"Heck yeah it will be." Miko said, sounding excited to do something illegal.

"How are you two ok with this?!" Jack said sounding absolutely shocked. "You know what, not you Miko, (Y/n) how are you ok with this?!"

"I don't know if you pay attention in history class, Jack, but most life-saving actions were once illegal. Plus, chances of actually being caught are low, so if you stay calm, careful, silent, observant, and out of view from the camera, you'll be perfectly fine." (Y/n) shrugged.

Jack just sighed and face palmed and went to calm down with Arcee. Percy, Bee, and Raf went back to the couch. (Y/n) just finished her homework and put it away. Miko decided she'd talk to her.

"Are you going back to work tomorrow?" Miko asked, sounding a little sad.

"Yeah; not as exciting as stealing from a museum, but it pays the bills." (Y/n) joked, to which Miko laughed.

"You're brother has a great role model." Miko responded, jokingly.

"There are a lot of people in this room he could learn a thing or two from. So yes, he does have some pretty great role models." (Y/n) replied with a gentle smile.

"Yeah that's true." Miko said, taking a glance at the bots in the room.

"So what are you going to do for your history report?" (Y/n) asked.

"I'm going to see what Bulkhead's up to." Miko said before walking away. (Y/n) laughed and just went on her phone.

"(Y/n). Would you like to come on a drive with me?" Optimus asks.

"Sure." She replied, standing up and going down and entering his soon transformed vehicle. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just figured I'd ask." He replied, driving out of base. (Y/n) nod then but her lip, deciding now would be the best time to ask.

"Can I ask you something?" She received a hum of approval. "So from what I heard from the conversation earlier, this energon harvester could kill all of you?"

"Yes. Energon is the fuel to our life source. If it is removed from our bodies, then we will die." He replied, (Y/n) nodded.

"You guys are all amazing." She complimented without a second thought.

"Why would you say that?" Optimus asks, curious.

"One day, you're all going to leave this planet ignorant of what you all did for our species. I can't help but appreciate all of you." (Y/n) then sighed. "And I'm more than happy to return the favor."

"Is it better than work?" Optimus asked, the question laced with playfulness. (Y/n) smiled.

"Definitely better." She replied with a soft laugh.

"I am sorry that your brother has to bare witness to all of this. I could tell he was upset by this situation." (Y/n) frowned at that comment.

"Yes... unfortunately the potential of death is not an uncommon topic for him though." (Y/n) took in a deep breath. "I told Jack, so I might as well tell you... our mother's dead. So he's scared to lose more people he cares about. And I am too, but running away from a problem doesn't fix it. So I'd like to help in anyway I can, if it means avoiding the inevitable."

"(Y/n)... I'm sorry. But I thank you and your brother for being so brave." He said, earning a small smile from (Y/n).

"Thank you..."

"May I ask a personal question?" Optimus asked, thinking about their absent mother.

"You may ask, but I may not answer." (Y/n) replied, he had every right to ask.

"Where is your father in the picture?"

"Back in Nebraska last time I checked. He is entirely irrelevant though and is never allowed to be near me or Percy. It took a year, but I have a restraining order against him. If you'd like to know what happened, you could look up "(L/n)" on the internet. I don't want to talk about it."

"I understand. If you don't want me looking it up, just say so."

"You can look it up... it's just... personal and whenever I talk about it I start crying. I already showed Jack. It probably is alright to open up... I'm just... scared." (Y/n) sighed and brushed her fingers through her hair.

"I won't push anymore."

"No, it's perfectly fine. I just don't like it when people worry about me. It makes me feel... vulnerable and helpless. Like I'm failing." She took a sharp breath and released it quickly. "You know you guys have a chance of dying in the near future and yet you somehow turned this on me and got me to open up."

"I guess I'm looking for a distraction. But you are my charge and I acknowledge your discomfort with me. I'd like to possibly at least be friendly with you."

"That's sweet of you Optimus."

"You five have quickly grown on me, I must admit."