The Pulsing Darkness

Chapter Six

The young boy stood frozen as his neck was strained backwards. His eyes were wide and his mouth seemed even bigger. His feet were planted in place and his knees were locked in. Ironhide and Ratchet were frozen as Ratchet was in mid swing with his wrench and Ironhide was in mid cringe. Ratchet lowered his wrench and hissed in anger.

"Well slag." He snarled to himself. Ironhide blinked.

"Is he broken?" He asked as he went to poke him. Ratchet smacked his servo.

"Stop that! He's injuried. He shouldn't be moving." Ratchet stressed his last sentence to Michael who hadn't moved. Ratchet rose an optic ridge as he still got no response from the boy. Optimus came running around the corner and breathed in relief...then held in a facepalm.

"Michael!" Optimus began sternly as he walked over but saw the boy not move. Worry began to wash over the leader but it was settled when Michaels face broke into a huge grin.

"Oh my gosh! What are you guys!? You're so cool! My friends told me about you guys but I thought you were fake! Are you gonna eat us!?-" Michael was cut off as Ratchet rolled his optics and intruppted the boys rambling.

"No. We aren't going to eat you. Primus, I fixed you up!" Ratchet threw his hands in frustration in the air. Ironhide gave a grin.

"We're Autobots. The names Ironhide. Your Michael I guess?" Ironhide spoke up and lowered a digit. Michael looked at his finger with wide eyes and took it and gently shook it. Ironhide watched in amusement as the boy tried to be gentle when his digit hardly moved at all.

"Y-yeah! That's me. Oh wow. You guys are awesome! You should totally meet my sister!" Michael cheered. Optimus set his hands on the boys shoulders softly.

"Michael. I'm afraid we have to keep this a secret amoung ourselves." Optimus told him. Michael pouted and looked at him.

"But why?" He whined. Optimus gave a small smile.

"Because it's important that not many people know about where we are and who we interact with. The Decepticons will take that to their advantage." Optimus spoke firmly and released his hands. Michael frowned.

"Oh...and they're the bad guys aren't they?" Michael whispered. Ironhide chuckled.

"Yes. They are."

"Besides, you sister seems to be more...scared of her situation at the moment. I don't think she would handle us very well." Ratchet grunted. Michael shook his head.

"Nah. She's just overprotective and moody and blah blah blah." Michael rolled his eyes. 

"Exactly my point, youngling." Ratchet huffed. Michael stuck his tongue out at him. Ratchet scoffed with a raised optic ridge. Ironhide laughed.

"Look, kid, how about we just keep it simple? You probably don't understand the situation here. You were just in a crash,"

"With you right?" Michael crossed his arms.

"Not my point," Ironhide rose an optic ridge.

"You're making a very weak one." Ratchet informed. Ironhide huffed.

"Does it really matter?" He exclaimed. Optimus cleared his throat, bring their attention to the matter at hand. The two stopped their bickering and looked down at the giggling boy who was beyond amused. Ironhide smirked as the boy covered his mouth as he tried to keep quiet. Optimus chuckled and placed a hand gently onto Michaels shoulder.

"Michael, please. Try to cooperate with us. Ratchet merely tried to help you and your sister. This is not intended to be..." He paused, trying to form the correct words. Ironhide rose an optic ridge at Optimus then took over.

"What I think he means is that we can't stick around, kiddo." Ironhide puts in. Michael frowned.

"Why not?" He wondered as his shoulders sagged. Ratchet looked at Ironhide as he knelt down.

"Decepticons, remember? We gotta kick some 'con afterburners!" Ironhide grinned. Michael laughed.

"M'kay. Guess that makes sense." Michael agreed with a firm nod of approval. Ratchet rolled his optics.

"Of course he's excited and absolutely  hooked when it comes to Decepticon beating but he's terrified with a car crash.." He snorted. Ironhide elbowed him.

"Oh shush. He's a kid." He grinned. Ratchet squinted his optics at him, daring him to test him further.

"Do you think I am blind? I am aware. I was just saying that how can such a young child be intrested in war?" Ratchet spoke quieter.

"He probably doesn't understand a lot of it, Ratchet. He probably just sees us the good guys beating the bad guys. Like the human superheros." Ironhide shrugged. Michael was silently listening to the two Autobots as Optimus talked to him about the plan for tomorrow. Michael decided to perk up right then and make Optimus feel more and more like he couldn't get through with the kid. Optimus sighed as Michael began speaking up.

"Oh no, you guys remind me of my dad!" Michael smiled. The two bots helms swiveled back down to his level.

"How so?" Ratchet asked. He couldn't possibly relate a medic that lived thousands of thousands of years on Cybertron to a human. But he let himself hear Michael out.

"My Daddy was in the army," Michael stated proudly. "Mommy says not to talk about him much around her and Carrie but I like to keep thinking about him. He was my superhero." Michael smiled. Optimus walked closer.

"What did you father do in the army?" He questioned.

"Uhh...that I don't know. But he used to talk about how they defeated the bad guys." His eyes were bright with inspiration and the Autobot began to feel waves of innocence wash over them. They glanced at each other and felt the same spirit they did a long time ago on Cybertron. Bumblebee.