Resting the night before was easier than last for all of us. Knowing that our lost friend is now safe and sound, and not in the hand of the Decepticons.
From what had been said, Ratchet repaired Sideswipe's damages and he should be up and running now, but no fighting. On the good side of things, it looked as if Megatron didn't do any extra damage to the bot' as he was held captive. Not that it was known to me that they would do such things, they were in the middle of a war. At this point anything is possible.
Everyone is presently in the Autobot hanger, updating Sideswipe on recent news on what all had happened, which isn't much. Being with them, for all this time now, has made me begin to think they really aren't all that bad. One thing they still need to prove to me is there loyalty to humans. Yes, they have seemed to do that okay, but innocent civilians have died in their battles all the time. Breaking the hearts of so many families. Mine included, that's just something I can't forgive so easily.
"We're glad you have returned safely, Sideswipe." Optimus ended, still with the same leadership tone as always.
Has this ever happened before? I thought to myself. The Autobots themselves seemed prepared for something like this. Back when it began, they were sad and it seemed out of control but when I gave them that ounce of hope, they seemed to know what to do. Bringing up the ship, everyone was prepared to fight for Sideswipe. Although desperate times do change people, I still believe it possible someone must have been kidnapped before then.
"Has that ever happened before?" I asked, looking up to Optimus who stopped talking to Ironhide and looked to me.
"Well," he began. "Yes, yes it has." Sideswipe cut him off, with a flash of a smile.
"What happened?" Looking down to my feet at his sadness.
"Well, it was back before we came here to Earth. The war was still going on and it was at its zenith. I was on a mission with my team, under Prime's rule. At the time, I had a brother with the name of Sunstreaker. As we were going through the regular set ups, he was captured, and took back to the Decepticon Base."
"Never to return." Ironhide finishes, with a dole look in his eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss, Sideswipe."
"Yeah, but now we're here. We've lost friends, and gained new ones." He brightened up a bit. "Remember the time Optimus earned a limp trying to save the Major's life?"
"What?" I mumbled, looking for an answer as Lennox chuckles slightly.
"Ha, yeah. Although my life doesn't matter compared what's at stake, Optimus." He scolded, shaking a finger, and chuckling to himself.
"You have a family to take care of. I'm sure I can deal with a minor limp." Optimus replied, smiling.
"What exactly happened?" I spoke up.
"Well, the Decepticons are still interested in knowing all of N.E.S.T's knowledge. Megatron wanted to get to one of the soldiers to interrogate us, I, being the one he chose." Lennox explains.
"And as he tried to capture him, Optimus stopped him but in the process, earning a gash in his leg that gave him a limp." Epps ended, pointing to the giant bot'.
"I..I didn't think all of you guys did that." I murmured, feeling bad that I had thought so down on these guys.
"That's nothing, what about the time Ratchet lost almost the entire feeling in his left arm." Ironhide added, looking to Ratchet who had just walked up.
"Wasn't that just a joy to deal with." He said bluntly. He chuckled to himself. "To save a life, it was nothing bad," he shook his head.
"Ratchet did about the same thing. Although, this was to save the life of many civilians. He's a medic, not a soldier, as you already know. But, for war you have to go to extra lengths to fight, and as a battle was raging on, N.E.S.T didn't have time to get to the civilians in time. So, Ratchet went instead. Of course, the Decepticons were there and almost cut off his entire arm! Him being the medic made it hard for him to replace it himself." Sideswipe describes, slightly amused.
"Wow, its a good thing you guys are on our side. Humans are small, after all." I reply.
And this is how the day went on, they talked about their war adventures and rescue stories. This also made me begin to question all that I had thought about them. The Autobots really weren't that bad of robots, for being robots of course. They helped protect humans alongside N.E.S.T. They didn't just want to end the war, they wanted to protect us.
Decepticons were the ones who were truly evil, the side of Cybertron that wanted humans hurt. Never the Autobots. Them explaining all the times they saved humans helped me accept that. I think I can now welcome them into my life. They're not so bad after all.
"Ha, yeah breaking out of prison are pretty good stories to hear." Stiffening up at Epps last words.
Crossing my arms, I propped up my feet on the desk in front of me, expecting the soldiers to ask about my escape from prison as well. They all turned to me after that, and I smiled, twiddling my thumbs.
"That's right, how did you escape from prison, Phoneix?" Lennox asks.
"And not get caught?" Epps adds.
Knowing exactly what to say, I grinned and looked up.
"Do you guys know who built this building in the first place?"
"Well, yeah. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Who named it?"I asked, seeing If they knew.
"The building itself comes from a line of buildings that originated from one company. The prison you went to being one of them." Lennox says, confused.
"And what was the company itself named?"
"Phoneix Inc... Oh my, you've got to be kidding me," he cursed to himself.
"Nope. My dad named it after me, I know these buildings inside and out. Try and keep me locked in and you're kidding to yourself." I laughed.
"I can't believe it. That's seriously how you got out?!" Epps stammered, as I stood back to my feet and watched as the Autobots all stared confused.
"It's also how I stole back all of my weapons. Thanks for that."
"Gah, we should have known."
They laughed, even through being so belittled. I had outsmarted them many times already, I'm proud to say that. I wonder what could possibly happen next?
"Now who does that remind you of?" Ratchet mumbles, chucking a bit.
"That's true, I forgot about him. Wheeljack was kinda like that too."
"Wheeljack?"
"Wheeljack was another Autobot stationed here. He, sadly, offlined during the first battle 3 years ago." Optimus explained.
"He built almost anything you could think of, especially weapons. Wheeljack was also known for his many escapes from prison and Decepticon hands, it was funny, at the time anyway. You would've liked him, Phoneix." Ironhide added, lightening the mood.
"Sounds like it. I bet he was a great Autobot, I would have loved to meet him."
"And then there's Jazz. Ha, he liked music and racing. But, when it came to stealth he definitely beat us. Although he was a pain to deal with, we wish to have him with us still do this day." Ratchet began, looking down at the end.
Come to think of it, these guys are a lot like my brothers in many ways. Although they might be giant robots, they share similar personality traits as them. It's something that I have taken awhile to come to grips with, but its true. Caulan loved racing. By the first time he got a car all he did was race his friends through the lonesome roads of Arizona.
Mathew, on the other hand, was more of an inventor. He would build stuff in my dad's shop whenever he had the time. Sometimes even helping me with the designs of my robots.
Tanner and Shaun were the two youngest of my siblings, at the age of 14, when they had passed anyway. They were a lot alike but Shaun was more of the leader type. He showed that when he worked in group projects for school. Mathew was close to the same but he enjoyed helping people.
One thing that stood out in my mind was how they always got out of getting in trouble somehow. By blaming it on me. Being the only daughter gave me an excuse for getting out of many things which was very fun. My brothers loved playing pranks on me, one time, I woke up and I was sleeping outside. I'm still not entirely sure how they figured that one out. Yet, I still got out of getting in trouble for it.
"You know, you guys remind me a lot of my brothers."
"I wasn't aware you had any brothers," Lennox adds, uncomfortably.
"That's because I never told you. How could I? Ha, they were a mess. But, I loved them anyway. They remind me of you guys, they loved music and racing, building stuff and even were good as escaping things they shouldn't have gotten into in the first place. I think all of you would have gotten along with them." Staring down to the floor, I shrugged my shoulders. "They were always finding me in trouble as well as themselves, it was fun though, being with them. I still miss them, even though it's been so long."
"They would be proud of you, Phoneix." Optimus states, smiling.
I look up once more and smile too, "Yeah, probably."
For once, I'm glad I was wrong. The Autobots along with N.E.S.T aren't bad. They protected humans, and each other, they always have. They're trying to end this war to save Earth and take care of the civilians that live on it as well as their friends too, I'm glad to fight alongside them.