Arcee, Jack and Airachnid Pt.1
Jack and Arcee head through the spacebridge and into the canyons. With a clear and simple assignment of testing her upgraded scanners thanks to Ratchet of course.
"What happen to June and Jack will not happen again on my watch." Thought Arcee to herself.
She look down at Jack with the look a human gives a little baby kitten or puppy, but with a degree of respect as well. For this little human although small has come in useful and assists the autobots in their battles.
Even knowing that they have their limitations and are placed in mortal danger, they still try and sometimes do help, even when it comes in conflict with self preservation. Something any cybertronian could come to respect, seeing it is very similar to them as well.
Arcee picks up a Data chip to lock onto once in the Rockies. she thinks " how many times has Jack actually come in handy and placed himself in mortal danger ever since I have been assigned to him?"
She glances at him. Jack notices that she is quiet while preparing for the practice. It's nothing new for her to be silent while working. Nothing new for any autobot in fact.
"but I can't shake that she is thinking about me." He recalls his encounter with Airacnid not but a few days ago. "that spider predacon, psycho." He quickly puts the situation and Arcee in the same thought, and then reads her limited facial expressions. And glances at her optics, trying to read him like human eyes. He walks with her to the now open spacebridge.
"Arcee…" he says to her, then stopping himself.
Glancing down at Jack, at this moment she recognizes her friend looking at her and then changing his glance to stare into the spacebridge. "yes jack, what is it?" she asked calmly yet sternly.
"never mind, I'll ask you when we get to the other side." He tried to say confidently. Mimicking the controlled posture of optomis, he started to catch himself doing this more at work and at school. (Wisdom is not easily obtained but has to be earned.) The words Prime told him have caused a change in his own understanding of becoming not only a man, but also a respected man. A prime, or at least close to a prime. "scrap" he thought. "I really do need to talk to her on more than just one topic don't i."
Arcee looked at him, noticing his tone, observing his pulse and posture. The gentler breathing pattern he had, as well as his clenched fist. "sure thing Jack." She responded assuring them both.
Arcee thought, "Looks like I'm not the only one with a scrap load of processing at the moment."
They both step through the bridge. Leaving the others back at base. June glancing at Primes optics, since she is standing on scaffolding she has that opportunity right now. Watching him process data and observing readings while he searches for high energon readings. Or spikes of decepticon activity.
June talks softly to Prime. "am I the only one that notices that Arcee and Jack are behaving like a couple?"
Prime stops for a brief second and glances at June with his calm and collected observation of her tone, posture and expression. Taking into account of what couple means on cybertron and what the meaning (couple) can have in many forms here on earth.
Ratchet glances quickly at June.
Miko looks at June quickly and says to Bulkhead, "oh this is going to be good." Bulkhead turns his whole body in excitement. "you're telling me, no one has said something like that to Prime as far as I been around."
Prime speaks to June. "Jack and Arcee are merely performing a necessary practice of her upgrade."
June asks. "Jack has been behaving slightly different to Arcee than to the others. He treats you like a role model, treats everyone like friends. But around Arcee-"
Prime not one for these sorts of conversations, nods in understanding. This development had not escaped his observation. but honestly wasn't something that was calling for his immediate attention. But now that June Darby was knowledgeable of the autobots existence, the situation honestly has changed a little.
Optimus spoke to June while continuing his work. "I understand your concern, as well as the observation. But understand that Arcee and Jack have a free will and are always meant to make their own choices. I can speak to Arcee and discover what she is processing when they return. But I would not be able to change her conclusion or choice. But merely I would be able to warn her of the already clearly prevalent facts."
June takes a pause thinking. Slightly enamored with the giant robot talking to her. Maybe it was the fact that he is a leader. Or his commanding presence or voice. Or simply that Jack is looking up to him as a role model. But she knows he will keep his word. And she is seeing that this sort of talk is not his cup of energon.
She calmly replies, "thank you Optimus Prime. I'm still trying to get use to the fact that all this is going on. And that you Autobots are real." She reaches out and places her hand on Optimus primes head.
Prime stops for a brief second then continues working. calmly saying, "I suggest you speak to Jack as well, if you wish for a peaceful and mutually understanding conclusion."
June pulls back her hand slowly still looking at prime slightly entertained with the fact that he is keeping his emotions inside, or if he is simply designed this way. Then comes to a conclusion that he has to have a personality. Then remembers of what is going on. Airachnid was going to kill her, or at the least hurt her real bad. And she has a lot to process. She sighs.
June asks upfront, "Prime, do team mates develop emotions for each other when saving one another and fighting alongside each other as partners? It's only a logical outcome right?"
Prime now looks again to June. He stands now finished with his scans and can see that there is no immediate mission to send any of his team off to. He puts his hand out to her to walk onto, and speaks. "Miss Darby, it would seem that you have more concerns than one. Much I admit has happen to you in the span of a few days."
June replies sarcastically, " that's a light way of putting it. My son lied to me for months, I got kidnapped, hanged from 30 stories by a giant spider, my life threatened by that spider, giant robots are working with my son and his friends, Arcee is possibly in a relationship with Jack, I can keep on going for hours."
She walked upon his hand and Prime spoke to her calmly, "June, perhaps we should talk, you seem to be overwhelmed with the recent developments. I understand your worries, and you have a right to react in this manner. I offer you my consult, as well as the other Autobots would. We are your friends Miss Darby."
Prime places her on his shoulder and June sits and gains a grip to the side of his helm. Calmly states, "thank you prime. Let's talk." And they walk off outside the base to place her mind at a much needed ease.
The other Autobots can't believe what they just saw. But really no one ever saw prime do that before. But really was it so hard to believe that he would not show concern to a team mate's mother. The Autobots are guests on this planet, and must not disrupt the humans too much. So they can see that Prime is doing what a leader should do. Help those in need. No matter how small or large the worries.
Miko brakes the silence. "I think jack is going to be in major trouble when he gets back."
Bulkhead reacts. "Pretty sure the same goes for Arcee as well."
Jack springs into a fast jog to as far as he can go to place the tracking device behind some bolders and hides himself. Thinking "now this is what I needed to clear my head. Some action with… scrap. And here I go again."
A loud thud of metal lands 12 feet away from jack stating its arrival. "Found you jack." Said Arcee. "looks like everything is working top notch."
Jack comes out with the tracker and looks at Arcee in all her powerful presence. That sleek and shiny body armor she has. Be blue glowing eyes. Standing in the sun light and in this environment, it made Jack smile knowing that he came into some use for her today.
Arcee observed Jack coming from the rocks, noting that he wanted to speak to her about something. She was slightly pleased with the fact that he came to help her today. She would not have been able to get such a good test of her tracking systems in small narrow areas like this craves.
She picked him up and jump out of the caverns wall to wall, landing top a mountain ledge. Taking this opportunity to put jack on the spot asking him the question, that admittedly had been eating away at her servos slightly. "So what is the big question you had for me Jack?"
Instantly he looks into her optics, he sees her light blue face, her lips, her sleek shin and cheeks. "She's not a machine; she's a sentient living being. A person….." he tells himself.
"jack?" Arcee asks, noticing he has gone instantly quiet. She continued "What's going on Jack? Had Airachnid harmed you in some way last week? You haven't been the same since then."
Jack bit his lip and thought, "I am not going to have another chance like this any time soon." He placed his hand gently on her cheek and leaned in quickly, seizing the chance; he stopped within close to two inches only to say softly to her,
"please don't hate me for this Arcee. I'm sorry." And kissed her.
Slowly after what seemed to Arcee an eternity, but was really 10 seconds, Jack pulled away from her. Arcee had wide open optics, not only had this human just stolen a kiss from her, but he was actually bold enough to do it. Had he not saved her life before she would be cross with him. Was this the trouble that was causing him discomfort before? Well at least the worst of it was over and now she could speak with him about this and set him straight. "bold little human." Thought Arcee.
Jack still holding on to her cheek, she was about to take him gently and set him down. When he threw another curve ball at her.
"Arcee, I'm starting to fall in love with you." Not braking eye to optic contact.
Ok, now Arcee had a mouth hanging open. She didn't have that much of a shock from this. She was surprised that is to be certain. But this hadn't come unexpectedly. She was just caught off guard, wasn't ready for it so suddenly.
Arcee closed both her mouth and optics and turned down with a light soft laugh. And stated the obvious fact. "yeah, I can see that you really did mean that we need to talk. I think your right; we REALLY need to talk Jack."
His face and spirit slowly hurt as he heard her tone when she said it like that. He wasn't going to lose this chance. He wanted to at least have a chance with her. No matter how impossible. So he placed his hand on her shoulder to lean his body slightly to gain a better look at her. He continued.
"Arcee, don't think that I haven't considered my options before telling you this. I really want you to know that its not just passion. I know we are different. And yes it could work. Humans are resilient and—"
Arcee cut him off. "jack stop it. I haven't even said anything. Not really."
Jack was at a standstill. Arcee gently took him off her shoulder and placed him down upon a huge bolder, "better for him to be at eye level right now" she figured. "this is not going to be easy." She pondered.
Jack held her finger as she placed him down. "Arcee?" He said softly
Arcee: "ok, look jack, I know that emotions can build up and develop from working alongside one another. And yeah, you and I have been getting close because of the things we have gone through in the past few months. I'm not going to deny that nor am I going to even begin to take that away from you."
Jack: "so then?..."
Arcee: "hold on Jack, I'm getting to it. This isn't exactly the easiest thing ever. Really quite the opposite really."
Jack: "no Arcee, I really need to tell you something else."
She shuts her mouth and thinks, "scrap, what more could this little guy toss at me to make my servos jump again?"
Jack: "when you saved me and my mom, I realized something that day. I wasn't that useful to you. So to have a human like me at your side would be pointless, I get that. So I am going to change it."
Arcee was slightly surprised yet again. Her brow rose up, "just how are you going to change that jack?" she slightly laughed at the youth's persistence. He couldn't be serious. Then she stopped and thought, "He has placed himself in danger before and rose to help others without a second thought. Like a prime." She had to hear this, it sounded like a well thought out plan rather than an emotional outburst.
Jack. "I am going to talk to Optimus and let him know that it is my choice. My free will, to have a weapon to my size, so that I could defend others and myself when the decepticons show. They know I am on your team, and when I am visible I'm a target, it's all logical. You can figure out the rest I imagine."
Arcee: "or I can just put you back home and kick you out of the base." She remarked.
Jack: "and then the Cons will kidnap me, and hold me hostage."
She shudders at the thought of loosing another partner. She looked into his eyes, he was determined for this. He was determined to have her. Nobody has ever really been this determined to get a sparkmate. It's not like he couldn't just get another girlfriend of his own species.
Arcee: "jack, you could find a girlfriend. A human."
Jack, he leaned in close to her. Close enough to kiss. Softly he said, "I want you Arcee. I loved you. I want you."
She looked down slightly overwhelmed with all this data. She admits to herself that in fact the thought has crossed her mind and she is guilty of that. But he's not going to win that easy.
Arcee. "ok ok slow down there jack. I want to tell you that yes, I have thought about this,"
Jack: "you have?"
Arcee, "yes. And I came to a previous conclusion before, and I sort of wrote it off and dismissed the thought before. I didn't think it was necessary. But I can see that it is going to be necessary. So here it is."
Jacks eyes lit up like a spark. Arcee smiled at this expression.
Arcee. "Were going to try this out, I value you jack, so we will talk to Prime and June about this. It's not going to be easy, but it's our choice and we can do this. But remember, if it's not going to be working out, you can't pursue something that's not working. deal?"
This is it. This is real, this is happening. All that he wanted was her. He wasn't going to lose this chance. The opening he was waiting for.
Jack looked at her. Confidently said to her. "I'm going to do whatever it takes. I won't lose you."
He leaned it to kiss her. She didn't pull away from his advancement. "what did I get myself into." She thought to herself.
High above the ridges of the mountain. Hidden in the shadows sits Airachnid and the decepticon breakdown. They had just arrived moments ago to obtain the old tech device that can control magnetics. But due to their combat they had destroyed it and it was beyond repair. But that's when they had noticed loud metal sounds of jumping. And thusly, they had observed, and heard all of Arcee's and Jack's conversation.
Airachnid. "interesting. So Arcee has a little human boyfriend."
Breakdown. "how humiliating."
Airachnid. "shut your rusty mouth."
He glances at her.
Airachnid. "a opportunity is still an opportunity."
Breakdown. "look, we have pretty much destroyed the device we looked for. But we can still get a little consolation prise."
Airachnid. "no, you keep your hands off Arcee, she and her little toy are mine."
Thats part 1 for you guys. please let me know what you think and review it and weather or not i should continue this story.