My Falling Star Chapter 12

PART 2

GROWING UP~

….:::~CHAPTER 12~:::….

Years had passed since that day out in the isolated fields of California.

Barricade's punishment was gruesome compared to anything that a human could withstand but with Barricade's message from Prime received by Megatron…a new challenge arose…but that was the least of Prime's worries. And it would remain that way for a length of time.

Five long years had passed since the retrieval of Kayda from Decepticon grip. In that time she learned many things…how to talk, how to walk and how to be more independent. She was maturing just as Ratchet had predicted. More than likely she would mature to an adult physically in no less than 60 human years that was as long as her frame continued to adapt to the new armor upgrades with every passing year.

On that particular day, five years later…the base was humming with activity. Soldiers had come and gone but most everything had stayed the same…with the exception of Kayda of course.

Through the doors of an open hanger, the sound of music softly emanated through the air from the inside.

"No attorneys, to plead my case
No opiates, to send me into outer space
And my fingers are bejeweled
With diamonds and gold but that ain't
Gonna help me now

I'm trouble, yeah trouble now
I'm trouble y'all, I disturb my own town
I'm trouble, yeah, trouble now
I'm trouble y'all, I got trouble in my town

You think you're right, but you were wrong
You tried to take me, but I knew all along
You can't take me for a ride
I'm not a fool now, so you better run and hide

I'm trouble, yeah trouble now
I'm trouble y'all, I got trouble my own town
I'm trouble, yeah, trouble now
I'm trouble y'all, I got trouble in my town

If you see me comin' down the street
Then you know it's time to go
Hey you know it's time to go
And you know it's time to go
'Cause here comes trouble…"

Just then a young machine, a little larger than an adult human male (about eight and a half feet tall to be exact), slid out of the hanger giggling wildly.

It was Kayda. Only…older, but…not by much apparently.

Sliding back Kayda suddenly came to a halt against a wall of black. Looking up Kayda found her gaze meeting that of another's.

Smiling sheepishly Kayda swallowed hard. "Oh, hey IronHide…how you doing?"

Even to IronHide, who as Kayda described as being a stiff, looked down and smiled curiously at Kayda. "I was about to ask you the same thing small-fry."

Looking back down Kayda scoffed and crossed her arms. "I'm not THAT small…"

Suddenly she looked back up. "…am I?"

Gently resting his hand on her head Hide laughed. "Turn off the weird sounds and come on; your sire wants to talk to you."

Turning around and switching the stereo off Kayda huffed. "The humans call it music…and personally I think it sounds very cool."

Turning around, IronHide raised and optic ridge. "Cool?"

Walking past IronHide Kayda just smiled and giggled. "Major Lennox taught me that word."

Shaking his head IronHide caught up to Kayda and gently pushed her along. "Like I was saying, your sire wants to talk to you."

Turning around in mid stride and walking backwards Kayda looked up and cocked her head. "Why does dad want to talk to me? What did I do?"

Shrugging IronHide growled. "How should I know? All I was told to do was retrieve you and bring your sorry aft to the main hanger."

IronHide then grabbed Kayda by the armor on the back of her throat and lifted her up to carry her. Squawking and grabbing at IronHide's hand, Kayda growled. "IronHide, I hate it when you do this!"

Holding her up IronHide smirked. "That's exactly why I do it runt."

Growling Kayda struggled to throw punches that were nowhere near hitting IronHide's hull. "And why do you always call me runt?"

Holding up a single digit as he flipped her over and held her by the stabilizing servo, Hide laughed smugly. "Did you ever think that maybe I call you runt because you're the smallest bot on base?"

Continuing to pout thou she helplessly hung upside down, Kayda growled. "I AM NOT THE SMALLEST BOT ON BASE. Wheelie is."

IronHide didn't know what to say to that. Technically she did have a point.

Shrugging it off IronHide just grinned as he put Kayda back upright in front of the main hanger doors. Looking down, he continued to smile as he held up two digits. "And secondly, I call you runt because I've been calling you that since the day you—."

Giggling and waving Hide off Kayda smiled. "I know, I know since the day I was sparked. You don't have to keep reminding me."

Turning away with a smirk on his faceplates, He carefully pushed the hanger doors opened and pushed the sparkling inside with the side of his ped. "Now get going short stuff, your sire wants to talk to you."

Scowling slightly at IronHide who simply walked away smiling to himself, Kayda slowly slinked around the corner into the cool hanger.

…

The command hanger was dark and cool compared to the suns blazing rays. Among the raised catwalk, human troops went about their business. Some humans focused in and around the monitors.

Standing in the center of this commotion was a massive red and blue flamed mech watching over all operation.

Kayda smiled and giggled at the sight. Dad was working.

Walking past the catwalk toward the door, Major Lennox stopped and chuckled at the young bot.

"Hey Kayda, whatcha doin'?"

Smiling Kayda just shrugged looking back at her father. "IronHide said that dad wanted to talk to me."

Looking back at Prime as well Will just smiled. "Well, the only way you're going to talk to him is if you get his attention."

Walking away, Kayda just smiled over her shoulder. "I've already got a plan for that worked out Major."

Shaking his head Will just proceeded toward only to stop and laugh quietly before exiting.

Quietly slinking up behind the unknowing mech Kayda couldn't help but giggle.

Just then a couple of troops elbowed each other and motioned to Kayda behind Prime.

The mighty Autobot Commander…was gonna get jumped.

…

…

As Optimus contently watched the humans continue to work, he couldn't help but notice more than one human laughing quietly amongst themselves and motioning behind him. Turning his head slightly, Prime checked the immediate periphery behind him which unsurprisingly was clear. Shrugging it off, Prime turned back to his previous occupied state. Just then the human's laughter grew louder.

They were defiantly laughing at something. Turning around completely, Prime took in the sight of the entire area from the ground up. Nothing was there.

That only meant one thing. The troops were laughing at him.

Narrowing his optics, Prime turned back to meet the laughing gazes of the human troops. Those gazes that met Prime's immediately changed from laughter to a defining silence.

But then Captain Epps cracked up slightly. Raising an optic ridge Optimus huffed. "And what seems to be so humorous captain?"

Trying his hardest not to burst out in erratic laughter, Epps motioned behind Prime. "Uh…big guy…look behind you…"

Again looking behind himself, and again seeing nothing Prime passed a glance with both optic ridges lowered to Epps. "There is nothing there captain."

Another soldier looked as if he was choking…struggling extremely hard to restrain his laughter. "On your back commander…"

Lifting an arm to look, Prime struggled to see past his bulking frame. Sometimes bigger is NOT always better. Growling slightly Prime barked at the laughing humans.

"What is so humorous?"

Just then a familiar pair of bright blue optics peeked out from the security of Prime's armor. "Hi daddy!"

The whole hanger was in an uproar. Men choked over their own saliva as the laughter seemed to be too much for them.

With wide optics, Prime's optic covers clicked open and shut several times before drifting into a soft gentle gaze. Chuckling softly, Prime gently brought Kayda around to his front and held her in the crook of his arm against is chest.

Kayda just laughed as he softly rubbed her mid plate. With his engine humming softly, Optimus gazed lovingly at the youngling in his arms. "Why does it not surprise me that YOU would be the bot responsible for making a mock of me?"

Kayda just shrugged and giggled as she threw her arms around her father's neck plating. "I'm sorry daddy; I just can't resist teasing you."

To his audio receptors, Kayda's giggles were like the sweet harmonious music that only angels could sing. She was so sweet, so gentle, so loving and yet…so mischievous. She was always looking for new ways to cause mischief, just for him.

Gently caressing the back of her head, Prime chuckled as the sound of soft purring emanating from Kayda's vocalizer. "An optic for an optic I'm guessing?"

Looking up, Kayda let a wide smile beam across her face plates. "What else would you expect?"

Optimus just chuckled more as a soft smile crept in over his face plate. "I would expect nothing less from you Kayda."

Gently kneeling and placing Kayda on the floor upright, Prime gently rested an arm on his knee. "Now then my child…what is it you need?"

Motioning back toward the hanger door, Kayda raised a confused optic ridge. "IronHide just came and got me and told me that you wanted to talk to me."

Cocking his head slightly to meet his daughter's gaze, Optimus too raised an optic ridge in surprise. "Well that is strange."

Resting her arms against her father Kayda raised her head. "What is dad?"

Looking away Optimus shook his head slightly. "I did not ask IronHide to retrieve you…"

Letting her head sink slightly, Kayda quieted. "So…you didn't want to talk to me?"

Looking down having sensed a change in Kayda's voice, Prime smiled softly and looked over his shoulder to the catwalk. "Captain Epps…"

Looking up Epps nodded. "Yeah boss bot?"

Gently caressing Kayda's head armor Prime smiled as her optics looked up and met his. "Please inform Major Lennox when he returns that Kayda and I are out on a walk."

Looking up Kayda smiled slightly maintaining a sheepish grin.

Optimus merely chuckled as he raised Kayda up and nestled her against his chest. "You will be sure to pass that information forward to Lennox will you not?"

Nodding Epps chuckled. "You got it big guy."

Looking back at Kayda Prime chuckled softly. "Shall we then?"

As they walked out of the main hanger, a mixture of low male chuckles and high female giggles could be heard.

…

…

…

As the sun slowly sagged behind the horizon, and the breeze blew lightly against the tree line of the beach, a strange set of prints were set in the sand, slowly being washed away by the tide …trailing up to an as equally strange pair.

Trailing in front of her father and running in the waves, Kayda laughed and looked over her shoulder.

"We haven't done this in a long time haven't we dad?"

Chuckling Prime nodded his head once. "No we have not."

Turning quickly on her peds, Kayda tried to walk backwards but stay ahead. "Hey dad, why is it you work so hard all the time? I mean…why don't you go and have fun like the twins or Bumblebee? Even IronHide goes out on the shooting range every now and then and seems to have fun! Why don't you?"

Looking down, the large mech scoffed playfully. "Do you not ever stop talking?"

Giggling Kayda stopped purposely allowing herself to lightly slam into her sire's stabilizing servo. "Daddy I'm serious! You are always working so hard! Why?"

Continuing to walk with his sparkling clinging to his stabilizing servo, Prime sighed heavily through his intakes. "Kayda, we have discussed this multiple of times…I am commander of the Autobots…a Prime… and it is my responsibility to be a leader. I do not have the time to be "having fun"."

Looking down Kayda whispered. "Oh…"

Slowly Kayda jumped off of her sire's stabilizing servo and walked ahead.

"Kayda…"

Turning around to meet the gaze of her sire's optics, she was surprised to see him kneeling in the sand and holding an open hand to her. "Come here sweet-spark…"

His voice was so warm and inviting. And their bond was overflowing with the feelings of love and compassion. How could she NOT have resisted crawling up into those arms?

Holding Kayda against his massive chest, Optimus carefully sat down into the sand and looked at the rapidly setting sun. For a long while there was nothing but silence as Kayda sat in her father's arms. Periodically she looked up at him only to see him solemnly staring off into the sun. Not wanting to interrupt him she gently rested her head against his chest and closed her optics. Listening and feeling the gentle hum of the spark that beat within his chest. The same spark that Ratchet had told her had given her life. She could have fallen into stasis then and there just listening to that steady pulse.

Looking down at the sparkling in his arms, Prime couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight of Kayda almost sleeping against his chest. At that moment, his CPU was forced to go back five years ago, to the memory of when he and Kayda sat on this very beach. The memory of Kayda smacking and trying to catch the waves between her tiny stabilizing servos made Optimus chuckle softly to himself.

Opening her optics and looking up, Kayda tilted her head in curiosity. "Daddy, what are you laughing at?"

Looking down to meet the gaze of his curious daughter, Prime merely smiled warmly. "I was merely thinking the memory of when I brought you to this beach the first time."

Raising an optic ridge, Kayda smiled and turned in curiosity. "Really? What happened?"

Readjusting his hold on Kayda, Prime sighed heavily. "You were very little Kayda, smaller than you are now. If I remember correctly… you and I were sitting somewhere on this beach…watching the sun set in fact…and you were trying to catch the waves in your hands. But you kept getting upset because the water continued to slip through your tiny digits."

Looking away Kayda slumped in astonishment. "Huh. I did?"

As she looked up at her sire, she noticed that he merely nodded once.

Sinking out of her sire's arms and into his lap, Kayda sighed and stretched. "Daddy, can I ask you something?"

Gazing downward Optimus nodded. "Of course Kayda, you may ask me anything."

Looking up Kayda shrugged sheepishly. "Daddy, how did you become a Prime?"

Moments of awkward silence passed until Prime groaned and rested his weight on his massive arms. "I was sparked into being a Prime."

Looking up Kayda felt awkwardly dumbfounded. "Huh?"

Snorting in amusement, Prime sat forward. "Let me see if I can explain this more easily… MY sire was a Prime… as was his…and as was his sire's sire. Being Prime is a title handed down from parent to offspring. Which means…"

Slowly Prime's optics drifted down to meet that of his daughter's. "…one day, when I'm gone…you will take my place and become a Prime."

Raising a surprised optics Kayda pointed to herself and whispered. "Me?"

Optimus smiled warmly as he gently caressed her cheek plate. "You."

Looking away Kayda slumped back into her father's mid plate armor. "Wow…"

Gently wrapping his arms around her, Prime leaned over and purred into her audio receptor. "Kayda, this is our legacy. Something that I've passed on to you. You have no idea just how special you really are. You and I…we are the last of a once powerful and respected dynasty."

Looking up into her father's optics that was inches from hers. "Daddy…what if I don't make a good Prime?"

Chuckling, he gently brushed his cheek plate against hers. "Kayda…I have no doubts in my CPU that one day you will make a phenomenal Prime. You just need time to learn… be patient and open with learning new things. Do that and I believe you may surprise yourself."

Looking up to meet her father smiling, Kayda couldn't help but giggle. "Daddy, how can you have so much faith me?"

Smiling mischievously, Prime turned his head and gently pushed his nose plates into that of his daughter's. "Because you are my daughter…and I have faith in you regardless of the circumstances."

Giggling at the feeling of her father's nose plates against hers, Kayda erupted in laughter and tried to move away only to be pulled back and held against her father's chest. "Daddy let go!"

Prime's loud, low laugh erupted from his chest as growled playfully. "And why would I do such a thing?"

Kayda didn't answer, she was too busy laughing and trying to escape her sire's grip. This…didn't work…at all.

"Daddy! Please! Stop!"

Having sensed that her core temperature was rising, Prime let Kayda's jittery frame sink down into his lap. Her intakes gasped for air trying to cool her over heating systems down. "…Dad…"

Looking down Prime returned the glance. "…Kayda…"

Stretching out his long stabilizing servos and letting his frame sink back into the sand. Looking up over his chest, Kayda jumped and crawled up onto his massive flame decorated chest plate. "What's the matter daddy?"

Lifting his head slightly, Prime just smiled. "It has been a long day little one."

Nodding and looking away Kayda sighed. "Oh…"

Looking away from her father, Kayda gazed upon the horizon to were the sun HAD been. All that was left of where the sun once was, was the remnants of brilliant reds, oranges, yellows and purples.

"Hey dad…"

Looking up at the sparkling seated on his chest Prime opened his optics. "What is it Kayda?"

Turning away from the horizon Kayda's voice changed from one of being cheerful to being worried. "Daddy, what's a Decepticon?"

Silence was all Kayda got; a blank, surprised, silent stare. As Prime sat up Kayda slowly slid off of his chest but kept her gaze the same. "Daddy?"

Looking down upon his daughter Prime looked upon her curiously. "Where did you hear about the Decepticons?"

Shrugging Kayda continued to watch her father's reaction. "I heard IronHide and Sideswipe talking about it a few nights ago."

Shifting his shoulders slightly Optimus growled quietly. "What were they saying?"

Shrugging Kayda looked away and then up again sheepishly. "IronHide was saying something to Sideswipe about how it's been a long time since the 'Cons have shown their ugly faceplates. And Sideswipe said that maybe you had scared them so senseless that maybe the Decepticons just left earth completely."

Looking at the change in her father's faceplate, she placed a gentle hand on his mid-plate. "Daddy, what are they talking about?"

After a long drawn out silence, and a relief of air through his intakes, he slowly looked down to meet the curious gaze of his little femme wanting an answer. "Kayda…the Decepticons in many ways are just like us. There are machines…fellow Cybertronians. Only their beliefs and ways are…different."

Looking up Kayda whispered. "How?"

Looking at his daughter with solemn optics. "Well Kayda, that is…, somewhat of a long story."

Gently getting up and leaning against his frame, Kayda stared up with curious optics. "Please daddy…I want to know."

Letting a soft groan escape his vocalizer, Optimus looked down and gently caressed his daughter's cheek plate. "…alright…perhaps it is finally time that you know…"

…

…

….*****….