Hidden Secrets

Chapter IX

I was terrified as I found myself being scooped up out of the water like a dog, by the twins. I found myself being held by Mudflaps, who was glaring down at me, before he turned and looked in the distance. I saw the autobots coming running towards us. "If you dare blurt a word about us, you will be in for it, big time." Mudflaps murmured under his breath to me. I didn't know what to do. I was terrified, and just wanted to jump out of his hand, and back into the water. I couldn't move because of how strong his grip was on me, but at the same time I was desperate for an escape.

Before I knew it, I found Mudflaps being shoved, me falling out of his hand in midair. I landed on another servo, my first thought was it being me landing in Skid's hand, as I quickly ducked and covered my head, worried I was going to be squeezed or hit by something. Instead I found myself suddenly being held against someone's chest in a tight hug. I opened my eyes and found myself being held against Ratchet's chest. "Ratchet!" I cried in relief as I hugged him back.

"Mudflaps, Skids. I am very disappointed in your behavior today." Optimus spoke up, making me turn to find both of the twins being held down by autobots. They were clearly furious that they were caught. "As autobots, you should both know better."

"I would like to know why Maria was in the water if the twins were trying to run away with her." An autobot asked. I turned and found the black one, Ironhide looking at me as he was trying to pull an explanation from me. I looked up and saw several sets of eyes looking at me for an answer. I wanted to answer, but I was still terrified about what the twins threatened me about.

"Maria, what is on your back?" Ratchet cried. Cold shock hit me quickly as I remembered my long hair was gone. Not only was it a memory of my family's tragedy, but it hid the mark I found on my shoulders several years before the tragedy occured. "Oh crap. No, no. I didn't want anyone to see that." I cried as I tried to pull my wet, thin shirt up to cover my shoulder blades that were showing, but it was too late.

"What did you not want us to see?" Optimus asked as he turned his attention to me. Even the twins were looking at me from where they were tackled to the ground.

"It's some mark or something that formed on my back several years ago. It's awkward, because I hate how I got it. I woke up in the night finding my skin burning like someone had used a hot piece of iron to brand me, and the next morning I found this symbol on my shoulders. The most awkward part of it is that...well... it's easier if I just show you." I cried as I pulled my shirt off, and held it over my chest to cover my girls. I slowly turned my back around and all the autobots. Except Ratchet who couldn't see it due to my position gasped.

"By the Allspark." Prowl muttered.

"Primus." Ironhide muttered in agreement with Prowl.

"Is that what I think it is?" Another bot asked, one I still didn't know the name to.

"That is the mark of Primus himself." Optimus spoke. "Along with the language of the primes."

"How is this possible?" Ratchet asked, as he shifted me in his hands so now that he could see the symbol on my back. "How long have you had this for?"

"About 5 years before the battle in Chicago. I never bothered to show my family or any doctors. I thought I would reveal it later on to them, saying it was merely just a tattoo I got from some sort of parlor." The symbol on my back was 11 blue shining stars surrounding a single bright star in the center with a galaxy behind them. I still remembered how much it hurt when I got the scar or symbol on my back. It took a week until I started to sit back again, along with being willing to wear something other than bamboo clothes. You would be surprised, but bamboo has a much more cooling effect when made into fabric, than polyester and even cotten have. My parents never noticed, but I guess after a week, it became a pretty regular occurrence and I just ended up doing it every now and then without really noticing.