My Guardians (A Bayverse Transformers Fan Fiction)

~Chapter 10~

They were there. Then they weren't.

I knew for a fact that there had been a battle going on. So why had the Decepticons gone away? One moment they were scraping at the Autobots, the next, as soon as I had reached them in fact, they were transforming and speeding off.

"Riley!" Crosshairs was running up, the ground shaking as he did. "Are you hurt?"

It didn't sound the jerk-of-a-Crosshairs from the movie. He was worried about me...all of the Autobots were. But why?

"I'm fine. Where's Bee?"

Once I finally got a chance to look around, I noticed Drift, Ironhide, and Sideswipe had taken off to completely drive the Decepticons away. Optimus was turning from fighting, along with the others, and Bumblebee was transforming into his Cybertronian form. Everyone was so calm, relaxed. What had I done? I didn't remember.

"Hey," Bee's holoform appeared. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I touched Bee's shoulder gently.

"It's a connection," I caught Ratchet explaining something to Optimus.

"What's a connection?" I stormed up to the two Cybertronian mechs.

I knew Ratchet and Optimus had both heard me. Not even acknowledging me, the two continued to talk and I felt frustration pulse through me.

"Excuse me," I cleared my throat and then yelled: "What's a connection?"

If Autobots had the ability to clearly roll their eyes, I think Ratchet had just done it. Optimus peered at me carefully and I narrowed my gaze towards him.

"There's too many secrets here," I crossed my arms. "I don't like it."

"Riley deserves to know," Optimus looked back at Ratchet.

Sighing in, almost, annoyance, Ratchet leaned down to explain things to me. "The connection is between what you have able to do for years and what just happened."

"What did just happen?" I wondered.

"We don't know that yet either," Ratchet blinked his optics.

"And what powers or 'thing I've been able to do for years' are you talking about?"

"You should know by now, Riley, that you are special," Optimus took his turn in speaking. "These specialties are supposed to save us."

"S-save you?" I widened my eyes.

"Our ancestors, as I told you before, have chosen you," Optimus pointed a finger-digit-thing at me.

"It's not true!" I backed up. "There's no way!"

Turning around, I ran. As far and as fast as I could from the creatures behind me. I needed to get away...make sense of all of this. This had to be a dream....I knew it was.

"Riley!" I could barely heard the voice of Bumblebee calling after me, but I ignored it, pushing on.

I had to get out of here...of there....wherever the hell I was.

~~~

"Riley!" I could hear faint calls of one of the Autobots. "Riley? It's me, Swipe! I wanna talk to you!"

"What?" I growled, catching his attention from where I sat in a tree.

"We've been looking everywhere for you," Sideswipe looked up at me in his holoform.

I could sense his car form was nearby, but I stayed in the tree. "If you want to talk, you'll have to come up here."

Sighing, Sideswipe's holoform started climbing up the tree to the branch where I sat. "Happy now?"

"Are you?" I snapped. "You got up here so you can talk, so spit it out."

"Excuse me," Sideswipe gripped the branch tightly, "I'm pretty sure you invited me up here first."

Not saying anything, I looked out at the land around me. Sideswipe kept glancing at me and I knew this because each time his eyes fell on me, I felt a shiver down my spine.

"We found a cave that fits all of us," Sideswipe broke the silence.

"Optimus wants me to come back," I blinked, knowing the Autobot leader had sent Sideswipe to change my mind.

"I know you're freaked out about your power and being chosen, but I promise it'll be better soon."

"Yeah right," I rolled my eyes.

"Trust me, Riley," Swipe rested a hand on my shoulder. "I promise."

Finally looking at the younger Autobot, I smiled slightly. "Thanks Swipey."

"Let's head back now," Sideswipe released my shoulder.

Jumping down from the branch I sat on, I grabbed onto one five feet down and swung to land on the ground swiftly. Sideswipe eyed me, chuckling slowly and then disappearing. When he reappeared, it was in front of his car mode.

"Beat ya!"

"Shut up," I growled and got in the passenger seat.

"You just don't want to admit that it's true," Sideswipe taunted and I punched his holoform. "Ow!"

Sideswipe drove us to a large cave where Ironhide was on watch. He blinked his bright blue optics and dipped his head to me. "Welcome back."

"Riley!" Bumblebee's holoform was starting a fire with Hound.

"Bee," I acknowledged him and he hugged me tight.

"You've decided to join us," Optimus stepped lightly, but the ground still vibrated.

"Yes," I nodded and looked up at the mech. "Like you wanted me to."

"Riley, it was never an order," Optimus explained. "It was your choice and yours only."

"But you did want me to return," I wiggled my shoulders and started walking to the fire.

"Hello, young one," Drift greeted me and I waved slightly, continuing to sit down on my sleeping bag set up.

"So where are we even going?" I asked Bee as his holoform sat next to me, off my sleeping bag.

Bee shrugged, but Crosshairs answered. "Away from the Decepticons and Lockdown."

"There will be no more staying in places where humans are around. We must stay hidden, that will protect us," Optimus walked up to the small group gathering around the fire. "It will protect you, Riley."

"According to you, I can protect myself," I looked into the fire.

"You are going to save us," Ratchet corrected. "Not protect us."

"Saving is protecting," I pointed out and Optimus narrowed his gaze.

"You seem okay with this whole thing now," Sideswipe seemed to question.

"Okay?" I gripped my knees with my arms. "No way. I still believe this is all a dream....that none of you are real."

"You fail to face the truth," Ironhide's holoform came up next to me.

"I mean, these powers," I paused, "it's not possible. It's not rational. There's no way it could be real. One of you could crush me with your finger. And I'm supposed to protect and save eight of you? That's impossible."

"What if it wasn't just us?" Ratchet leaned in close.

"What?"

"It's not just us," Optimus tilted his helm."Your people of this world are in danger. Lockdown and the Decepticons aren't going to just disappear. You are chosen to protect us all."

Yawning, I tried to continue the conversation. "How?"

"You need sleep," Bumblebee bumped me.

"No," I shook my head. "I want to know more."

"You already said you can't do it," Ratchet blinked.

While I settled down into my sleeping bag, I closed my eyes. "If the people of the world are in danger, then I can."

It seemed as if the bright light had just turned brighter.