"You're not really going to follow his orders, are you?" Starscream questioned pointedly. Marissa had been ordered to ride with Optimus Prime, for the safety of Vector Sigma. She didn't argue as she had before when paired with Blurr.

         "Well, there's no harm in it. Vector said he was okay with it since I'm not riding with my dad." She shrugged, shuffling through her duct-tape wallet to determine how much funding she had left to buy new clothes before they left for whatever base the Allspark was hidden in. "What's it to you? I thought you'd be thankful I wasn't stinking up your cockpit."

     The titan shuffled a pede as he grumbled, searching for an answer to her question. 

         "I couldn't care either way." He spat. "You're a strange breed, having been nearly Decepticon-like in your defiance toward your human government."

     Starscream's comment made the woman pause after returning her wallet in her back pocket. She guessed her actions could have been considered Decepticon-like, as the mech put it. However, she wasn't acting out of selfishness or hate, not even spite. Galloway was going to hide Vector Sigma away, keeping the Autobots from becoming any closer to going home. She wasn't sure exactly how she'd have to act in order to be considered a Decepticon, but the woman was sure the Autobots didn't see her in that light. 

         "That's called free will, Starscream." Marissa told him. "Just because the government says it's right or wrong, doesn't make them right in all things. I'm only fortunate Miles is as versed in that agreement thing as he is."

     Said boy was grinning ear to ear as he was picked up by Blurr. The racer grinned back, having told him he'd be his guardian for the trip to the Allspark. 

         "For being as dimwitted as he is." Starscream insulted, turning his helm from the sickening, friendly sight. The movement made him notice Barricade's impatient transformation. The police car decided to wait outside for when the group decided to move on toward whatever destination the Allspark was held in. 

     Marissa waved 'goodbye' at her titan captor, skipping toward Knockout who had somehow been coerced by Mikaela into driving them into town to go clothes shopping. Of course, Ironhide was completely against the idea, giving the argument that the cherry colored mech was a turncoat and easily coerced into anything if something was in it for him. Blurr, having been eavesdropping not-so-discretely, questioned how on Cybertron the little femme convinced the pompous 'Con to allow another human in his cab. Apparently, it was easier than it seemed after Mikaela explained she was going to stop by her dad's garage and obtain a couple cleaning solutions for the self-absorbed mech. 

     The trio, after cleaning their shoes five times to appease the shiny mech, left in a hurry. Knockout was eager to acquire proper supplies for his finish and the two women were looking forward to some clothes shopping. Mikaela had forgiven the older woman after Marissa showed she had courage enough to punch the ever-loathed Galloway. Or perhaps she just forgot about her menstrual fueled anger towards the civilian. Either way, the two chatted idly about style, or rather a certain farm girl's lack of. Even Knockout offered his two cents worth (depending on the person, the worth clearly changed) and eventually agreed to help in the search for Marissa's knew clothes. 

         "But you don't have a hologram, like Barricade." Marissa pointed out, wondering what Knockout would look like as a human. He hated Earth's species anyway, so why would he want to even mimic one?

         "Oh, please," the mech sounded quite offended, "I wouldn't want to look remotely like your species even in a hologram! No, I'll simply search for fashions of today and proper guides to determine your style and fit."

         "You can do that?" 

         "They can do just about anything." Mikaela shrugged, acting as if she were driving the luxury car passed what appeared to be a high school. She waved out her rolled window at what appeared to be a group of jockeys. They stared at their fellow teen in awe of her new set of wheels. "It might be a good idea for you to equip a hologram though, Knockout. Tranquility can be rather boring, but, as they say, idle hands do the devil's work."

     The trio parked in the smallest mall Mikaela could possibly describe, having visited far bigger in the past. Marissa, on the other hand, wondered why they needed a mall if the town was apparently so small and boring. Neither stepped out of their ride as Knockout further searched for references and inspiration. The screen in the middle of his dash flew through several websites, much to the two human's amusement. 

         "Hm," the cherry red racer hummed, "I'm afraid you don't exactly fit very many of these requirements for Earth fashion."

         "What do you mean?" Marissa raised a brow. 

     She didn't know anything about fashion, but how could it possibly have requirements?

         "Well, you'd need an entirely new form, for starters." The screen paused to show a group of giggling, skinny girls in sun dresses and heels. "I don't suppose you humans have the ability to exchange models?"

     Mikaela snickered. Not at the obvious difference between the photo shopped women and Marissa's obvious muffin top (if she wore tighter jeans regularly, anyway), but at Knockout's failure to consider that the fashion industry was mostly frauds. She soon explained that humans definitely did not have the ability to put themselves into an entirely new body, and that the fashion industry was known for its toxic expectations of women's bodies. She advised for the mech to search for classes and textbooks rather than famous industries. 

     It resulted in a new ability of Knockout's being found. He brought up a picture of his second passenger (taken some time at the hangar in Camp Ripley) and began to change her clothes. Among these designs included a sundress, tank top and shorts, a skirt with heels and other nice options that were apparently available in the little mall. Marissa only shook her head and said she only had enough money in her wallet to buy a couple shirts and a pair of jeans, maybe a pair of leggings from the clearance section. Of course, both Mikaela and the vain doctor were far from enthused about the decision, even after the other woman offered to pay for a few items. 

         "This would look so cute on you, though!" Mikaela whined, holding a crop top with ruffled short sleeves. "We'd just need to find a skirt to go with it."

         "You sound like my sister." Marissa deviated the subject. She had been scouring the clearance section for a pair of jeans in her size, but the only ones she found were bright white. 

         "Oh yeah?" Mikaela begrudgingly put the crop top back. "What's she like, then?"

         "Stubborn, strong willed and obsessed with clothes."

     The look on the black-haired woman's face showed she wasn't sure if she had been insulted or not. The expression made her companion laugh.

         "She's a hair stylist in Mission City." A look of alarm crossed Mikaela's face at the statement. "She was on vacation with me and my family during the attack, but her apartment building was completely demolished. We went clothes shopping while I was there for a visit, when I found Vector. That mall was a lot bigger, but I still think yours is pretty big."

     Mikeala wasn't sure what to say. The battle at Mission City wasn't that vast of a battle ground, yet it still affected someone she didn't even knew existed on a whole other part of the U.S.A. The fact that she came to know said person, or at least her family, was one in one hundred or more. The thought of destiny crossed the younger woman's mind, but it didn't last long. Chance was far more likely, and something her brain could wrap around a little better than destiny. Still, it made her feel mildly guilty about what had happened. She knew someone who was directly affected by the incident, even if it was through her sister, Marissa was, in a way, also a victim.

         "That one?" 

     Forced from her thoughts, Mikaela looked up to see Marissa staring skeptically at a shirt on another rack. It was marked 25% off, though not considered clearance. Assuming the abductee was talking to Vector Sigma, the tanned woman approached to look over her shoulder to inspect what shirt the entity apparently found interesting.

         "I know it's nice, but it's still sixteen dollars." Frowning, Marissa calculated what she had left of her paper currency in her head. "I only have six more to spend, and that will barely get me a belt in this place."

     Leaving the shirt, Marissa went to pay for her acquired items. The clerk was apparently skeptical, and rightly so as he observed the woman's ripped and dirty clothing. He wasn't impressed, and the fact the strange customer only bought from the clearance section seemed to support his theories, whatever those were. He was all too happy when the model worthy Mikaela sauntered up to him with a shirt in hand. He was disappointed she didn't stay longer and instead left with the tramp from earlier. 

         'Maybe it's a charity project.' He guessed, looking at his watch before deciding to take an early lunch.

     Knockout wasn't waiting in his original parking spot, the two women having to hunt for the mech. They wondered how someone in bright red could possibly disappear. Mikaela was the first to identify the familiar paint job around the building where most employees parked. The two were quick to explain his folly, but the grounder was far from willing to listen.

         "If one more bird lands on my hood I will transform just to bat them all away!" He complained and half threatened. "What took you two so long, anyway?"

     Said women slipped back into their seats, Marissa placing her shopping underneath her feet. 

         "Vector Sigma decided to play dolly with Marissa." Mikaela reapplied a layer of lip-gloss to her shining lips. "Here, I thought he had good taste."

     Confused, brown eyes stared at the white and blue bag for a moment before her bracelet-clad hand grabbed the twisted handles. Peering inside, Marissa raised a brow as she lifted the sky-blue shirt from the bottom. Unfolding it, a smile met her face as she spied the design of holes on the back that looked like angel wings. A white, spaghetti strap tank top underneath was what made the item as pricy as it was (to Marissa, anyway), even at 25% off. Looking back in her own bag, the woman knew the shirt would go nicely with her light green shorts. 

         "Thanks, Mikaela." 

         "You're welcome, now let's go to my dad's shop. We're running out of time."

     Knockout was all too eager to run the errand just to ask what exactly each bottled or canned solution did. Mikaela had even rounded up a bucket with other cleaning supplies such as sponges, towels and a window squidgy. She assured the mech they were all clean before setting them in his trunk. 

     Both the 'Con and Marissa were a little antsy as the taller woman spoke with her dad after her search of supplies, especially about her assumed new car. Of course, Mikaela didn't want to lie to her father, explaining that she was just running it around town for a friend who wanted to show off despite not being able to do it personally. It wasn't the truth, but Knockout wouldn't deny an opportunity to show off either.

     When the conversation was finally done, Marissa was watching the digital clock on Knockout's dash, biting her lip in worry. She didn't complain when Mikaela finally joined her in the driver's seat, knowing Knockout would do his fair share of that. However, she knew Starscream and Barricade would berate the sports car when they arrived about being late.

         'It's more likely to be Ironhide.' Vector Sigma's usual 'plip' sounded amused somehow. 'Starscream and Barricade are not able to make their opinion known without seeming weak.'

         'What do you mean?' Marissa's frown deepened, ignoring the conversation her new friends were having.

         'They are prideful, Marissa.' He spoke. 'Prideful and confused.'

     She didn't feel her question was answered, but guessed it was a topic Vector Sigma didn't want to speak of for his creation's sake and sanity.