Transformers Short Story

Dagger

Rose bounced her leg slightly, listening to the music filtering over the base hall. The rest of her soldiers were spread out throughout the common's area; checking gear or lounging on the furniture in various positions. "Could you stop that?" Rose's leg paused and she glanced up at the annoyed face of Mitsy, who was shifting through medical supplies on the coffee table. Mitsy blinked before looking over a couple of medical packets, "Thank you." Rose rolled her eyes before leaning back into her chair, watching the soldiers out of the comer of her eyes. "Rose! Look what I found!" Rose tipped slightly forward as Lennox called her name excitedly, beckoning her over to his rucksack and assault pack. The CO lifted out of her chair and made the short distance to her XO, leaning next to him to view the item he was holding. A smile overcame Rose's face and she snatched the black bound parcel out of his hands, "I've been looking for this thing for forever, where'd you find it?" Lennox smirked, "Remember the sand dunes? You let me borrow it just in case we ran out of ammo, I guess I've had it in my pack ever since." Rose nodded as if remembering the very conversation, "Gotcha, I totally forgot about this bad boy." She pulled the parcel closer to inspect the leather before opening the top portion and drawing out an ornate silver dagger the size of her forearm. She twisted the blade in the artificial light, making the metal gleam brightly, "I haven't had a chance to use this thing yet." "Where did you acquire such a piece?" Rose startled at Drift's sudden question, ruffled by his blunt tone, "It was a gift." Drift motioned for the blade and Rose ruefully handed it over to the samurai. Drift lifted the blade carefully till it rested just below his optics. He smoothed over the silver with his digits, twisting the blade and inspecting the length and balance before handing the piece back to the waiting solider, "It is well crafted." Rose hummed, flipping the blade so she could point out the small signature in the handle, "I would hope so, my dad had it made for me." Lennox chuckled, "The same guy whose a cop?" Rose pursed her lips with mirth, "Same one." Epps peered over Rose's shoulder curiously, "Why a dagger? I've never seen you use it." Rose turned so he could see the metal in better detail, "I took classes on martial arts and I thought it was so cool that my sensei had a blade. Dad didn't want me to have something that big but I think he realized how important it was for me and well..." She motioned to the blade with a crooked smile. Epps bumped her slightly, "Your dad's so cool!" Rose rolled her eyes, swinging the blade to her other hand, "I know." Drift tilted his helm, cycling his optics, his tone curious, "Can you use it?" Rose shared a look with her soldiers before smiling up at him, "I can." Epps chuckled, "Anything's a weapon in Rose's hands...I don't think theirs anything she doesn't know how to do." Rose shook her head, "Not true." Epps rolled his eyes but went back to his seat on the couch, calling back over his shoulder, "Show us some moves." Rose left out a breath, painfully aware of everyone watching her as she moved into a more open space. She twisted the blade in her dominant hand before flinging herself forward, stabbing at an imaginary enemy. She kicked her leg up before passing the blade horizontally through the air. Rose stilled before flipping the blade dramatically, catching the metal end and using it to knock her "enemy back" before she flipped it again and stabbing it forward. She paused, turning to face her audience with a small smile. Drift suddenly transformed into his alt-mode, his holoform exiting from the drivers side and walking towards the CO, a long blade in his hand, "What about against a real foe?" Rose hummed, taking up a defensive position in front of him, "We'll see." The commons area perked up at the notion of a challenge, whispering their bets among themselves. Crosshairs smirked, appointing himself the referee of the spare, "Don't take it easy on 'er Drifter." Drift eyed the inventor with slitted eyes before refocusing his attention on Rose. Crosshairs eyed the two, "Three hits and you win." He paused as if thinking over something before smirking, "Don't kill each other and...we ain't telling Ratchet about this...go!!" The two circled each other, keeping an even distance as they eyed the other's movements. Rose thrust first, faking to the left before swinging at his right and Drift was forced to retaliate with his own blade, the metal clanging together. Rose pushed against his blade, locking them into a standstill as both struggled to take control. Drift gave a hefty push, sending them both back away from each other, examining his blade with a slight smile. Rose twisted her dagger away from her body and lunged forward again, dodging under his swing as he aimed for her side. She swung the flat side towards his raised arm but was too slow and Drift paired easily, making the resounding noise echo throughout the base. "What are you doing!?" Rose and Drift broke away from each other with shared startled looks at the bay doors where the statement had come from. Ratchet towered angrily in the door, the plating on his shoulders spiking up as steam rushed out. Optimus appeared at his back struts a moment later and was processing the scene mutely. "Sparring in the common area? What has gotten into you all?" Rose shook out her shoulders and straightened but Drift spoke before she could, "My apologies, it is my fault." The base sat in stunned silence as they looked to Ratchet for his response. Ratchet seemed taken aback at Drift's rare apology but he seemed to get over it quickly, "You realize how dangerous it is to spar or train in the common area? With spectators?" Drift bowed his head obediently as Ratchet scolded him, tucking his blade away in its sheath on his side. Rose cleared her throat, taking the case from Lennox to store her own blade, "It won't happen again." Ratchet narrowed his eyes, "It will. I expected better of you two." Rose winced, relaxing after Ratchet exited the main deck in a huff, followed closely by Optimus. Once he was out of earshot, quiet laughter went up among the soldiers, followed by confused looks from their Autobot counterparts. Epps was the worst and was egged on by the cybertronians confused expressions, "In the many years we've known Rose-she-she's never been scolded like that!" Rose smirked, her guilt-ridden expression quickly replaced, "No one's ever had the balls to put me in my place...looks like you've got competition Mitsy." The doctor looked up from her work briefly, "Good, another person to keep your ass in line."