Transformers Prime: Fractured Futures (#3)

Chapter 7

"Erin...what the hell is happening. Who are these guys!? What the fudge has happened to you!? What have you not been telling me!?" Evan exploded, all the questions coming at once.

Then he looked at the autobots.

"And these are robots!? What are they, some kind of government experiment!?" Evan said in disbelief.

"To sum things up, we are aliens from another world called Cybertron who were fighting a war and we're called autobots, the good guys, and Screamy back there is a decepticon, the bad guys and Erin has powers connected to the Energon Resonance Key and we just recently restored our home and Erin has powers and I'm her guardian and yeah life's great. The real question is who are you?" Smokescreen pointed his finger at my older brother.

"Who am I? First of all, who are YOU? Her dad?" Evan argued back.

"I'm her assigned guardian and friend. Now who are you?" Smokescreen replied, bending forward so his face was right in front of my brother. Evan placed his hands on his hips and and glared at him.

I tensed nervously as they both had a face-off.

"I'm Evan, her older brother and the only family she has," Evan introduced.

"Well, I'm sorry to say Evan, but you're not the only family she has. She has us!"

"Oh yeah? And since when were giant metal aliens robots considered family?"

"Oh I don't know, since forever!"

I sighed, watching the two of them bicker like kids. It was almost comforting, given everything else that had just happened, but the tension in the room was still thick. The Autobots were on high alert, scanning the perimeter of the base for any signs of Starscream, while Evan and Smokescreen continued their verbal sparring match. I rubbed my fingers against my temple in agitation.

"Uh guys? I think you better stop before she unleashes her powers at you both," Bumblebee jokingly warned.

Both Evan and Smokescreen turned to look at me, momentarily startled by my outburst. I was exhausted, my body sore from the battle, and the prosthetic leg still lying awkwardly in my hands wasn’t helping.

Evan’s expression softened as he looked at me. “Erin... I just want to understand. You’ve been gone for months, and now this? You’re throwing around powers, running from the cops, and there’s a whole alien war going on? What’s happening to you?”

I could hear the hurt and confusion in his voice, and it stung. I wanted to tell him everything, but where could I even begin? The Energon Resonance Key, the powers, the Autobots—none of it would make sense without explaining the dark, terrifying thing inside me. The thing I barely understood myself.

Before I could answer, Ratchet crouched down next to me, gently taking the prosthetic leg from my hands. “Here, let me help,” he said, the earlier bravado fading as he turned his attention to my injury. He carefully attached the leg, making sure everything was secure. His touch was surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to his usual strict energy.

As Ratchet finished up, Arcee approached, her sharp optics lingering on Evan before shifting to me. “We don’t have much time. Starscream won’t give up that easily, and if he’s after Erin’s powers, he’ll come back. We need to prepare.”

I nodded, though the weight of Arcee’s words sank heavily into my chest. Starscream wasn’t just after me—he was after the darkness, the power that I couldn’t control. The power I was afraid of.

Evan ran a hand through his hair, exasperation clear on his face. “This is insane. You’re telling me my sister has alien powers and some giant robot is hunting her down? And you,” he pointed at Smokescreen, “are supposed to protect her?”