Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters - Ignition

22. Match Making

        Taking Maria’s hands, her wings receding back to their disguised state, BlackLight led her back to the center of the room and to the second-floor landing. The kids had created another human-friendly area just like at the old base, and in it, was another old and battered, but comfortable, sofa. BlackLight sat down, pulling Maria with her gently.

        “Maria, these are the Autobots.” Li spoke slowly, calmly, watching her sister’s suspicious glances around the room. After a moment, she gestured to each of the ‘Bots in turn -- at least, the ones who were currently present. “This is Optimus Prime, our leader. Over there is Ratchet, the medic. I’m sure you, um, met him first . . . The femme over there is Arcee. Next to her is Bulkhead. That’s Bumblebee. To the left of him is Smokescreen. And that one . . . The green femme is my guardian, JewelBlade. She’s been watching over me since she returned. She’s had to deal with a lot more mischief than you did trying to do the same job. And she’s, well, she’s like us.” BlackLight smiled sheepishly, watching her sister.

        Slowly, Maria evaluated each of them, her gaze resting on JewelBlade at the end of it. “How are you?”

        With a shrug, Jewel kept easy. “I’m all right, of course, I didn’t get to deal with the brunt of your coming-to.”

        Maria sighed, looking at the rest of the Autobots again, turning her gaze to Optimus after a moment. “I’m sorry I freaked out on you. I didn’t mean to, I just lost it, I guess. If you went out the way I did, I kinda doubt you’d be all that open to waking up from death’s embrace to see some creatures you never knew existed.”

        “We understand, Maria,” Optimus assured. “Your actions have already been forgiven. As long as you two are happy with the outcome, the scuffle was well worth it.”

        Li smiled at her sister. “It’s better than I imagined. My sister is alive, safe, and we still get to be together. We’re still a team, you know? Just like always.”

        Maria smiled back gently. “As long as we’re safe, I can’t imagine a better way to do it.”

        “Actually, about that . . .” JewelBlade spoke up, looking at Optimus before turning her gaze back to the sisters. “We need to assign you a guardian. We have to be safe. Now that you’re one of, well, us, the Decepticons may come after you. To ensure that you don’t fall into their clutches, you need someone to be with you constantly the way I’m with Li.”

        Maria tensed, looking at JewelBlade skeptically. “You mean I have to . . . I have to be escorted around by one of you? I-I don’t think I can handle that. And weren’t there humans out here earlier? What happened to them?”

        Optimus spoke up calmly. “You must have a guardian to ensure that the Decepticons don’t do harm to you. As for the other humans, they were quickly taken into the back of the base so that they wouldn’t accidentally be harmed.”

        “So that they don’t do harm to me?” Maria blurted out nervously, her anxiety rising. “What sort of harm could they do to me that hasn’t already been done? Do you see me right now? I was brutally murdered and left to rot in a ditch and you’re worried about the danger these Decepticon freaks are going to do?”

        “Maria,” Li whispered gently, squeezing her sister’s hands. “These are the good guys. Trust me, you don’t want to end up in the hands of the Decepticons. They’re not good. They’re terrible . . . I trust them with my life, please trust my judgement.”

        Tensing a moment longer as she took a deep breath, Maria did her best to relax. “All right, Lauren . . . I’ll try, but only because it’s you.” Li smiled, embracing her sister tightly, the gesture quickly returned before they pulled away. Maria slowly glanced around the room again. “So, um, which one is my new . . . guardian?”