Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters - Ignition

10. Readjusting

        ~General Narration~

        “I can promise you that it’ll be all right, JewelBlade,” the Predacon-looking femme told her. “We’ve made a new base nearby since the absence of you and your team. It’s nothing special, but it’s home.”

        Unfortunately, that wasn’t the focus of the green femme’s attention. Her faceplate wrinkled in distrust when the unusually sized femme spoke her name, the rest of ‘her team’ coming down the ramp to join the Autobots who’d already assembled. Among them was Bulkhead and Bumblebee. “Who the slag are you?” Blade demanded. “How do you know who I am?” Her vocalizer nearly dropped to a  growl her defensive side kicking in.

        “Oh . . .” The small femme shifted her weight, Raven’s optic ridges stitching together as she glanced between her teammate and the new arrival. “I . . .”

        “Maiden,” Optimus warned gently, stepping towards her. “That is no way to behave towards guests.” He attempted to place a large hand on her shoulder servo, but she pulled away, staring at him.

        “I don’t think she’s a guest anymore if you guys supposedly ‘saved’ her, Optimus,” Blade retorted, crossing her arms. “I’m more of a stranger here than she is, aren’t I? How did that even happen? I travelled across star systems and into deep space to bring a comrade back!”

        “And we fought to bring an ally to us from enemy hands,” Optimus assured her gently. “Our tasks were quite similar, with similar results.” His optics glanced up, noticing Aura, who waved sheepishly at him, the teal femme feeling like an intruder on this moment. Most of them did. “I informed BlackLight of your role with the Autobots, Maiden. And I’m sorry to say that you are not making the first impression I wished you would have.”

        Blade winced, looking away from him. While Optimus didn’t mean to hurt her, he never did, it still ached that she didn’t live up to his expectations. Since becoming an Autobot that was all she’d wanted: to be the type of warrior a Prime deserved to have at his side. To be the sort of femme a Prime wanted to have at his side. She was failing that expectation.

        “Hey, now,” Raven started, coming up to Blade, placing a hand on her shoulder servo gently. Blade promptly attempted to pull away, but Raven kept her hold, tightening it. “What’s wrong with you, Blade?”

        “You don’t understand it,” she hissed under her breath, turning her helm to look away. “You couldn’t possibly understand it. You have your mate.” During the long journey back home, Fang and Raven had bonded. Both as a figure of speech, and as the Cybertronian ceremony. They had their happiness. Blade was bitter because she’d been waiting to experience a happiness of her own when she’d returned to Earth, but that hope had dwindled down over the months. Now, she was confronted with it head-on, forced to acknowledge the fact that things had changed while she was away: stress had set in, missions had taken place in their absence, and new arrivals had come along.

        Arrivals that made Blade feel obsolete in a distinct way that she couldn’t quite shake.

      “Perhaps we ought to return to the base,” BlackLight offered, looking up at the tense JewelBlade, her spark shifting slightly in its chamber, her nervous energy settling in. Predatory instincts were taking over, but she fought them, repressing them to the dark corner they’d emerged from.

        “I agree that would likely be the best decision at this point in time,” Optimus replied, giving a slight nod to the girl. “Maiden?” He called, turning his attention to the green femme. “Are you calm enough to return to base?”