Protector (TFP)

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴ -ᴀ ɴɪᴄᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴋ-

ʜᴇʏ ɢᴜʏꜱ! ɪ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴏꜱᴛ ᴀ ᴍɪɴɪ-ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ! ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀꜱ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀꜱ 

ᴍʏ ᴜꜱᴜᴀʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ꜱᴏ ʙᴜꜱʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ. ꜱᴏʀʀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴏᴘᴇꜰᴜʟʟʏ, ᴛʜɪꜱ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛ.

 ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ!

 Hot air immediately surrounded my body like a thick fog, my nose scrunching from the feeling as I finally left the small antique store. Year-long heat was something I was still getting used to, and I could say with certainty that I didn't like it. I stretched my arms above me, sighing softly as my muscles screamed in relief. As much as I loved working at the tiny shop, sitting in one place for an extended period was not doing my body any favors.

With a exhale, I scanned the area around me until they caught a familiar red and blue. Wasting no time, I rushed to the Semi-truck, my tired demeanor disappearing as I climbed inside.

"Hey, Optimus." I greeted, sliding into the familiar seats.

"Hello Astra, how was work?" The Prime asked, the door closing behind me.

"Good, there was a fair amount of customers today," I chirped, leaning back against the seat. Optimus hummed, the vehicle lurching forward. "I'm surprised to see you, though," I commented, drawing the mech's attention. "I thought you were out searching for Energon with Bulkhead."

"We came back early." He vaguely answered. I raised an eyebrow at that, my head tilting.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"It... didn't go as planned." The Prime revealed a slight hesitancy in his tone.

"I see.." I didn't have to ask him to know they didn't get any Energon, and I couldn't help but be worried. I knew the Autobots were running dangerously low, and I didn't want to know what would happen if they completely ran out. Even though Optimus tried to hide it, I knew he was concerned as well.

My gaze lazily traveled up the road when a wave of deja vu hit me. I squinted, my green hues landing on a barely noticeable trail ahead. My face lit up in realization, and I couldn't stop the small smile from rising.

"You see that trail up there?" I asked, straightening myself as I pointed to the obscure road.

"Yes."

"Turn there." His mirror tilted in my direction, and I could practically feel the confusion coming from him in waves. I smirked, my green hues bright. "Just trust me," I added, my smile widening as he turned. I knew the dirt path would go on for a couple more minutes, so I got comfortable again.

"Where are we going?" Optimus inquired. I shook my head, zipping my lips with my fingers.

"You'll see," I teased.

We silently traveled up the rugged trail. If you could even call it a trail anymore, the dirt road had ended a few minutes back, and now it was nothing but flat desert rock as we traveled upwards. I knew my request was strange, but I had a feeling that Optimus needed to relax, even if it was just for a moment. Eventually, we reached our destination, and right when he stopped, I hopped out.

Immediately the wind blew through my long hair, tangling it up in a frenzy behind me. I sighed in contentment, taking a deep breath as I stared at the view before me. We were on top of one of the flats, miles up from the ground, and as much as I hated the desert, I had to admit it was beautiful from this height.