Child of the Allspark (Transformers Prime)

Pixel and Ratchet were attempting to get some work done, the keyword attempting due to Miko and Bulkhead watching a monster truck rally on the television.

Pixel's agitation towards the noise caused Ratchet's screen to glitch.

The Autobot turned towards the troublesome duo "Would you mind lowering the volume?"

"Hey, Pix, check out the monster-truck rally Miko took me to last week," Bulkhead told the girl.

"I compiled some highlights with my cellphone," Miko praised as she raised her cellphone in her hand.

"Innocent vehicles battling for the pleasure of human spectators?" Ratchet scoffed "Bloodsport,"

"You've clearly never been to a race," Pixel laughed only to quickly lookup and see Ratchet glaring down at her "Which I haven't been to in a while...promise,"

"You could be helping Optimus in the field right now." Ratchet told Bulkhead.

"Have Pixel go," Bulkhead claimed.

"Tried that already," Pixel shouted back.

"We've been over this, Optimus is looking for a Cybertronian Data Cylinder. Who knows what would happen if you interacted with it due to your connection with the Allspark. And there is no telling what vast intelligence it may hold."

"You're gonna give me a history lecture aren't you?"

"During the golden age, dozens of these cylinders were created, each containing the sum total of Cybertronian knowledge on any given subject...stellar cartography, medicine, ancient mythology. When the war broke out, the cylinders were hidden throughout the galaxies to keep them as far as possible from Decepticon reach. Detecting one signal here, on Earth, is the opportunity of a..."

Miko groaned aloud "TMI, dude,"

The comms beeped with an incoming transmission from Optimus.

"Ratchet, Decepticon ambush. The cylinder is at risk. We require backup,"

"Backup is what I'm built for," Bulkhead said as he pounded his fists together and ran towards the ground bridge.

"Go bend some fenders, Bulk," Miko cheered.

"I have an important mission for you, too, Miko," Ratchet said.

"Really?"

Ratchet handed Miko a mop.

"Aw!"

Pixel shook her head and got back to work, upon hearing the clattering of the mop she turned and saw Miko run for the Groundbridge. "Not again..." Pixel hurried after Miko, quickly dragging her to cover behind a rock as metal flew from the battle. "How do you keep dragging me into these things?!" She groaned.

"Whoa," Miko marveled as she watched the bots fight.

Optimus vs Knockout, Bulkhead, Arcee, and Bumblebee against vehicons.

"Autobots, stand your ground," Optimus ordered. "The artifact must not fall into enemy hands.

Arcee ran for the cylinder only to be knocked down by Knockdown.

Knockdown drove and transformed as he neared the cylinder "Come to Papa,"

Bulkhead punched Knockout away "Run to mommy,"

Breakdown grabbed Bulkhead by the head "Say Uncle. Say it!"

Pixel ran for the cylinder and hid behind it as the fight continued. "He is so gonna kill me," she groaned "Ratchet, come in,"

"Pixel?" Ratchet replied, "where are you?"

"Funny story..." Pixel laughed "But I followed Miko to keep her out of trouble and now I'm standing next to the data cylinder,"

"The Data Cylinder?! What did I tell you?! Did you touch it?"

Pixel's eyebrows scrunched in confusion "No? Look we can have this conversation later, can you bridge it out of here?"

"I'll reactivate arrival coordinates."

Pixel looked over the cylinder to see the ground bridge and rolled her eyes "can you open it any closer?"

"Supply coordinates,"

Pixel ducked down when a blast was fired near her "Glitch!"

Miko ran over and began attempting to push the cylinder, grunting with effort. "Aren't you going to help?"

"Ratchet told me not to touch it," Pixel admitted.

Miko huffed and ran back a few and took a running start towards the cylinder. "1...2..." she kicked the cylinder, a warbling sound coming from it.

Pixel took a hesitant step back "Miko, what did you do?"

The activation of the cylinder grabbed every bots' attention.

"Pixel?"

Pixel glanced up and saw Optimus' gaze meet her own, his gaze flickered behind her and she realized how out in the open she truly was as Knockout stood behind her.

"It seems, Vidya you once again possess something I need," Knockout taunted.

Pixel instinctively went for her weapon only to curse when she remembered it was back at base. "Scrap,"

"No!" Optimus' voice bellowed as he moved towards the con.

Both were frozen in shock when the Data Cylinder let out a ray of red light, hitting Pixel square in the chest.

Pixel herself was shocked, once the red ray had diminished, she fell to the ground with a groan.

"Pix!" Miko exclaimed as she ran towards her friend.

Knockout wasn't sure which to go for, but seeing as he was outnumbered figured it best to go for the item the Decepticons had come for "You really took one for the team, Vidya." Knockout taunted as he picked up the Data Cylinder "My team,"

Pixel's eyes fluttered open enough to watch the Decepticons retreat as the Autobot team ran towards them to stop their exit.

Optimus knelt down next to Pixel as she stood up, holding her head. "Pixel, are you..."

"Fine," Pixel groaned "No more than usual. Let's just get back to base, so I can get the scolding over with huh?"

***

Pixel moved slightly on the slab Ratchet had placed her on, knowing fully well that she wouldn't be able to get down without his help. She huffed as she crossed her arms in defiance "At least let me help look for the Data Cylinder,"

"No,"

"You're grounding me?! For what?! I only left to protect Miko from the Decepticons!"

"I'm running a full scan of your neural net..." Ratchet explained, ignoring Pixel's outburst.

Pixel rolled her eyes "Humans call it a brain. Come on, Ratch. There's nothing up there to scan...other than the usual technobabble...nothing seems...new,"

"Well, if you insist on making yourself useful," Ratchet let me down and handed me a mop "You can finish the task, Miko was supposed to start,"

"You're so punishing me," Pixel groaned as she took the mop. "No Vector squared, all right," Pixel glanced down at the mop and went a different route.