Run, Kunoichi, Run!

Ch.1: "Memories, Dear Memories" Pt 1

A/N: Mature themes are present in this chapter. You've been warned. All rights reserved!

The hand-made blue lanterns glimmer atmospherically as I strode along through the underground maze of passageways & dead ends I had specially structured to confuse those who intruded my shared domain with a half-filled crate of unprocessed Energon crystals in my arms. It was a quarter less than last time, but something is better than nothing. The lanterns' patterned covers casting illuminating shapes over everything in the cornflower light's path as if it were a veil of some kind or another while some of their lights refracted off of my cargo like a disco ball bring me comfort as I stroke along. I love walking down paths like this, it's spooky & puts most nerves on edge, but not mine. It relaxes me. After a fatigue-inducing quest like today, foraging for food & other necessities, I sigh happily at the wall beside me. Specially designed spots glint almost undetected in the dim lights as I take a gentle breathe & recite my password.

'Et neutralitatis in pace.'

The hidden twin doors fracture into intricate floral patterns as I pass through them like mist. They close silently behind me, setting back into stone as warm golds & other hues of the like light up the end of the short hallway. Little giggles can be heard from where I stood, pulling a soft smile to my face. I remember the day I found out what Megatron was planning with the sources of those giggles I have come to love, that horrible day, my birthday. Sure, he was, well, is the sort of mech who followed the least straightest path any mech would have taken in his life, but he took it too far that day. I had just finished a laborious training session with Carrier & was on my way to refuel when he caught my attention.

"Ao, my dear, come here for a moment, I have a surprise for you." The whole walk went differently than the usual cold, corporate walks we'd take occasionally when he needed something from me or vice versa, but that day was different. Warmer, even. The way I saw it, it was like I was in a warm pot of water & the temperature was steadily rising, but I didn't notice it back then. I could handle myself against him on a usual basis even after a long training session, however, my curiosity got the better of me right then. The whole walk was him complimenting my rapid maturity despite being made a few years prior, how well I was accelerating in my studies, both athletically & academically with the help of Soundwave, Shockwave (Via the coms connecting us to him), & others, all that good stuff. The first stop was the meeting hall portion of the grounded ship where a small box wrapped in flushed hues & ribbons sat on the table beside a glowing cup of liquid Goodie.

"Happy Birthday, my precious heir." I was ecstatically grateful for the drinkable treat & whatever was in that box to the point of hopping up to hug my Sire's shoulders. I may not be as big as him, but I'm not as short as Carrier, I'm in between the twos' heights which makes hugging them a little tricky. I manage to do so, however, before blurring over to the box first because of my racing processer's love of the mystery that vastly outweighed my love of the addictive sweetness beside it. He knows how this goes; I get to the gift first, start playing detective, he gives vague answers, then he caves & just tells me to open it. It was a thing for us. Our thing. I miss it sometimes.

"Is it something fragile &/or alive?" I ask as I lift the box carefully at first, fretting for the safety of the possible life or lives in the femininely wrapped cube. "Has it ever been?" I cast an unmasked look at him as he tenses.

"That was one time. One. How was I supposed to know that creature needed sunlight & water to live?" I laugh at the memory of my confused little processor as I peered into my second celebration's gift as it sat in the sealed box, a large, very wilted flower, or what I thought was a flower, the memory is missing some pieces by now. Carrier wasn't too happy about the gift's delivery to my young self, but I salvaged it quickly by taking the box to the watery area where the ship landed over, then turned to my creators who followed me worriedly, hoping that I wasn't about to do something foolish. I crossed the slab of dislodged metal laid over the parting then stop at its edge to turn back & smile at the couple who'd skidded to a halt behind me. Sunlight filtered through the weaknesses in the stone walls as slight simple vegetation peeked from the waters. Sun, water, ventilation, perfect. I defend Sire innocently as I explained it the best way I could back then.