Transformers Animated: Little Spider

Chapter 13

Snarl lay in a stable condition on the medical berth. Arachnia withdrew, exhausted and covered in oil. She had done her best to seal the wounds but it was not easy. Snarl's condition would have remained critical had he not received an oil transfusion. Due to the Dinobots having an entirely different anatomy than that of normal Transformers, they didn't have energon running through their pipes.

The fossil fuels located on this planet made a suitable substitute, especially for refueling, hence why Arachnia hasn't struggled after arriving on Earth, her own reserves long since depleted. However, Arachnia was surprised when she scanned Snarl and found the earth grown substance literally flowed through his entire systems without an ounce of energon.

For this reason, Arachnia could not give her energon for a transfusion, not that she could anyway due to it being partially tainted with organic matter. Thankfully, it also made her job somewhat easier, not having to use energon which she already had short supply of.

The techno organic pressed her back up against the wall, sliding down to the floor in exhaustion. She had been at this for five hours straight.

Arachnia was no professional medic. She did receive medical training back when she was in the academy, but her work was sloppy at best, patching up what she could and supplying oil into Snarl's body.

Kelly had stood by even when Arachnia told her to leave the room. The young child stubbornly insisted on staying and when Arachnia rose her voice the girl began to cry, causing the mother to relent. The young girl had been placed in a silk hammock high above the floor to keep her out of the way. Now, the girl was fast asleep.

Arachnia stared blankly at the child before tears began to swell up at the corners of her optics. Her knees curled up to her chest as she began to quietly sob, servos covering her face. Between her digits, big fat tears manage to slip through. She could feel herself slipping, she felt herself losing control. The guilt was eating her from the inside, starting from her partially organic spark and spreading to the rest of her body. "It's not my fault...it is NOT my fault," she told herself, voice breaking.

Arachnia needed reassurance, she needed security. How could she have known that this would happen? That those thick headed Dinobots would get into this kind of tussle. Fortunately, Arachnia had been able to protect Kelly throughout the whole harrowing ordeal. But what if something had happened to her? What if the young child had gotten hurt or worse? It made Arachnias tanks churn at the very thought.

"Everything is okay, Kelly is okay...just stop," she whimpered.

A familiar malevolent voice chuckled coldly in the back of her processor. No, not again.

'What's the matter Blackarachnia? Feeling a little guilty, are we? No point in getting all worked up about it. After all, you knew the risks of keeping a human child.' The voice dropped to a low whisper. 'Humans can break so easily...'

Arachnia clenched her optics tighter, her servos covering her audio receptors in a futile attempt to block out the voices. "Get out of my head," she hissed, denta gritting together.

'Oh Blackarachnia, I AM in your head. Stop pretending that I'm not a part of you. Start facing the reality.'

"YOU are not REAL, KELLY is REAL. She is my reality; she is my purpose!" Arachnia began to gradually raise her voice.

'Freak, wake up. Humans are insignificant compared to us. Even if you manage to save her from every single evil that tries to harm her, she will eventually outlive us. She will die and you will be all alone again.'

"Stop it..." Arachnia's voice began to tremble, hints of aggravation seeping through.

'Such a shame when she will be gone. Who will love you once she is no longer alive? After all, with the exception of filthy animals like those Dinobots, no else will love a half organic abomination. Prudence can be very depressing.'

"Leave me alone." The voice was hitting every single sensitive nerve and insecurity Arachnia had, making it even harder to control herself. Her digits dug deeper into her head, piercing through and allowing energon to leak down her face.

'How sad you are, you cling to a child that is not even your own simply because you are afraid of being alone...'

Pathetic...

Disgusting...

Freak...

Arachnia was breathing heavily as she fell to her knees, hunching forward, servos still over her audio receptors. The painful insults spiraled around in her mind, attacking her, verbally abusing her. Her processor ached as if it was swelling. Were the walls coming closer? She was never claustrophobic before. Why was everything spinning? Her vents felt like they contracting in her chassis. Arachnia needed to get out of there. Scrambling to her peds, she rushed outside, kicking up dirt as she ran through the forest.

Coming to a clearing, she dropped to the ground, her servos clenching fistfuls of grass and dirt. She was trembling, her chassis rising and falling erratically. The world was spinning around her. It was all so overwhelming. She could not take it anymore. Arachnia let out a scream, her cries cutting through the silence of the island. Birds and other wildlife scattered in fright from the disturbance. Arachnia slumped limply to the ground, sobbing hysterically.

"Why me?... Why me?" she sobbed.

Why did these things have to happen to her of all bots? Why was she the one that had to be made to suffer? She just wanted to be loved was that too much to ask?

'Elita...'

Arachnias cries quietened down enough to hear the voice. The smart thing would be to ignore it, but the tone was benevolent rather than malign. Furthermore, she had been addressed by her former name rather than her chosen Decepticon designation. She could not help but give her attention.

'Don't give up Elita, you still need the child...and she still needs you...'

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Kelly roused from her sleep, having heard a dreadful scream. She sat upright, scanning her surroundings. The child immediately became distressed at realizing she was alone in the dark console room which had a foreboding atmosphere to it. At least she thought she was alone until she set her sights on Snarl. "Snarl", she whispered.

Kelly climbed down the nets of silk, reaching the floor. Her sock covered feet hit the concrete as she jogged over to the medical berth. She stood at the leg of the massive berth, realizing her dilemma as she looked around for some way to get up there. There, Snarls tail hung off the edge. Kelly precariously pulled herself onto the tail, shimmying her way up with soft grunts. She made it onto the berth. Carefully, she skirted the edges of limited space before making it to Snarls head. He was recharging, his facial features peaceful. Kelly put a hand on his cheek. "Snarl? Are you...okay?" she whispered her question.

For a moment the only response she got was silence. Then, a soft rumble came from Snarl as he slowly opened his optics with difficulty. Kellys eyes began to gloss over. "SNARL!" she exclaimed, giving her Dinobot friend a hug as she threw her tiny arms on his face.

Snarl himself was slightly aware of Kelly hugging him, however he was still very weak and still recovering so apart from opening his optics he could not move any further. Regardless, he let out a content rumble as he closed his optics again.

Arachnia returned later, her optics stinging and sore from crying. The techno organic went into a slight panic as she saw Kellys unoccupied hammock, but she calmed when she found her adopted daughter snuggled beside Snarl, sleeping soundly. Arachnia sighed in relief, placing a blanket over Kelly. She decided to leave Kelly where she was, knowing that if she moved the child Kelly would probably cry. Arachnia gently stroked two fingers over Kellys head, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Don't worry sweetspark, I promise to take care of and protect you, not for me but for you.."