Smoke and Ferns

Colossal Confrontations

Fern gazed out at the setting sun with a thoughtful expression. She knew what she did and the consequences that may follow. Fern was acutely aware of the oncoming car that was nearing the tall rock formation she sat atop.

Fern made no move to look at the child that stepped out of the black and yellow vehicle.

"Fern? Can you come down, please?" Fern glanced down without emotion before gazing back out at the last rays of the sun.

Only once the land had been cast into darkness did the girl begin to lower herself to the ground. She stood from her spot on the rocks, and the droid transformed before her.

A house-sized robot stood in front of her in the blink of an eye. Fern stared into the electric blue eyes of the robot that stood at eye level with the girl. The droid made a series of mechanical sounds before offering a hand to the girl. Fern began to climb down by herself after a moment, only looking back a Raf briefly before moving towards canyons across the road.

"Fern? Wait! We need you to come with us! Please?" The boy meekly asks, receiving nothing in return from the girl.

Fern hears the bot and boy converse before the ground shakes around her. Sighing in frustration, she realised she would not be left alone that easily.

With a stern look, she turns to face her former friend, finding him atop the shoulders of the bot. "Raf, leave. You made it clear you wanted nothing to do with me the moment you lied to me. You know I won't follow you." Fern spat coldly before returning to her pace towards the canyons.

Raf was stunned.

That was, without a doubt, the longest he had heard the girl talk at once. Fern had always kept her words to herself, so for her to unleash them all like that? She must have been extremely upset or mad.

And she was directing this at him.

Raf only watched as Fern slowly walked away, back turned and head low. His Autobot guardian buzzed slightly, asking the boy if he knew what to do. Raf only shook his head, knowing there was no way Fern would listen to them now.

Fern's stern glare never left the ground as she walked. A sense of betrayal rooted itself deep within her, one that would take time to heal, not words. The red sand began to fade from view as she walked, only noticing once the area around grew cold. Glancing around, Fern finds herself in the darkened cave she stood in less than a day ago.

Sighing in aggravation, the girl turns to leave the area yet stills at the sight of light. Turning slightly, Fern notes a large console-like device, one of the keys glowing slightly. Curiosity led her to the following movements, approaching the console, climbing the side, and standing on the surface. 

The girl gazed down at the intricate panel beneath her, eyes flickering from piece to piece. The scorch marks, still fresh in the metal, the large irregularly shaped buttons made for the hands of the drones, and the lone blinking light of the minor button in the furthest corner.

Taking anxious steps toward the glinting red beacon, Fern wonders what it could be for. Gently pressing a hand against the surface, Fern becomes startled when her footing slips on the smooth metal, her hand pushing forward into the button.

A blaring alarm rang through the cavern a moment later, and the child's sensitive ears rang with pain. Clamping her hands down upon her ears, Fern slides down the console and lands roughly on the ground. Her natural reactions led her to hide just as a swirling blue vortex appeared behind her. 

It was the drab drones from yesterday, looking around before approaching the panel and searching its surface, looking for what may have set off the alarm. Fern pushes herself into a crevice created by a pile of rocks, hiding from sight while covering her ears as the alarm still rings. Just before they could find the girl, another vortex appeared in front of the drones, distracting them.