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Have you ever taken a step back and wondered, “How did I get here?”
This was what Cheetor was doing right now. He was a Maximal, a sentient robot from the planet Cybertron. To make a long story short, his crew crashed on ancient Earth. They had gone through a rift that left them stranding eons before their own time and no way to communicate with their homeworld. Worse still, the reason they went through that rift was because they were chasing after a group of Predicons (an alternate fraction of Cybertronians constantly at odds with the Maximal political party). They had stolen an artifact that was important to their planet’s history and future. His crew had been the only ship close enough to give chase.
They realized that Earth had a high supply of energon. This was the fuel they to sustain themselves. However, exposure to high amounts of unprocessed energon caused damage to their robotic bodies. So, they activated the most unique ability their species had, the ability to transform into alternate forms to keep their robotic selves protected. Given the number of animals that roamed the world, they gave themselves what they referred to as “beast modes”. He had chosen the cheetah as his alt and renamed himself accordingly.
It was not long after their landing when out of the blue, a creature showed up offering aid. They had never seen anything like him before. He stood there in front of the security cameras and pleaded his case. He was an anthropomorphic canine (German Shepherd according to the database). He wore human clothing; red jacket, white shirt, blue denim jeans, no shoes. He introduced himself as Joey D. Dugala, commander of Guardian Corps, protectors of the inter-dimensional gateway. There had been rumors that their ancestors had gotten aid from a completely different universe. Now the proof was there right on the screen. It still took an hour of talking before he was allowed inside.
They established communications with him if they were in need of aid. Joey would come over himself when possible to help keep an eye on things and help with repairs or monitor duty. The crew all got a sense that he knew what it was like being stranded and unable to get home. He was doing whatever he could to ease their burden.
One day, he brought someone with him. Either it was some inside joke to him or he really just wanted to introduce her, no one was sure. The woman he brought with him was far more human looking than him, but still had features that made her look cat-like. She introduced herself as Cheetara from the planet Thundera. After a day-long visit, Cheetor had gained a big sister from her.
Cheetor’s mind jumped ahead. He recalled when they returned to their home. It was in ruins. A poison ran through the air that made it so their robot and beast modes were no longer safe. It was their commander, Optimus, that saved them. It was always Optimus… He managed to make them techno-organic, sparing their lives and giving them immunity to the plague that ravaged their home.
They had lost most of their memories of their time on Earth. They didn’t even remember each-other until they located one another. It all came rushing back when a man in a red jacket located their base. The rift used to return them home had altered the gate that lead to their dimension. It was now on Cybertron, not even a decade had passed for him when he last saw them. He did say that he didn’t believe the rift was the real cause. He truly believed the gate itself knew that his friends were in danger and would not let that slide without doing something. Deep down, Cheetor agreed.
Cheetara arrived not long after Joey called her. She was grateful to see all of them again. Upon reaching Cheetor, she could not keep herself from dropping to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around his new beast mode and wept. He was second in command at this point. He was doing everything he could to prove himself strong and capable of the title. However, this was Cheetara, rules went out the window as he cried into her neck. No one thought lesser of him. They would have he actually respond like that.
The members of his crew far fewer than they originally had. Dear friends, long gone. The memories of them hurt, but he still had to keep moving. Honor their memories by saving their home. Yet, it was Optimus that gave his life to restore their world, making their whole species techno-organic to bring those that remained back to life. This left Cheetor the commander of his crew, and utterly heartbroken. The one man that been his father since he first stepped foot on their original ship, the Axalon, would no longer be by his side. He would not be able to show him the leader he could be. As his crew were hailed as heroes, he did not any of the credit he wished to have his whole life. Optimus was the one that saved them all, he always was…
Cheetor felt hot tears rolling down the sides of his face as these thoughts overtook him. He quickly wiped his face and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He did not want the other person in the room to suddenly look over and see him like that. She had enough to be concerned about, making her worry about him would give him no end of guilt.
Being a new species, scientists went to work on figuring out what their new forms were capable of. Half an earth year later, Cheetor was approached by, not a Cybertronian scientist, but Joey’s daughter Regina. She was a psychologist but also had a degree in genetics. She had been in talks with his planet’s leading scientists alongside her sister, Colleen. She told him of a top secret experiment and asked if he would be willing to act as a test subject. Regina was smart. She knew that asking him would be their best bet. She knew that he had something very important to gain if it was successful. Cheetor was aware of it all and did not hesitate to agree.
Now he was here. Laying on his stomach across their king-sized bed. The trigger to all of these thoughts was him simply looking at his hand. The human hand of his fully organic mode. He had the same purple eyes as before, his pupils now black. His hair was blond and short. He had the build of a runner’s body, which just made sense. He had been able to change into a human for years now, but once in a while, it would catch him off guard. He never regretted it, even if took forever for everyone else to come to terms with it. Regina knew he had something to gain.
His soulmate.
When he first saw her, it was when he was sure the world was about to end. Time was actually being ripped apart. Joey and Cheetara had completely disappeared. Then he heard her screaming. His body was in agony as he felt he becoming undone. Still, he crawled to the screaming voice of a girl. It was a human, at least as far Cheetor could process. The difficulty came in her appearance. She wore sky blue armor, the skirt being made from sectioned metal. Sheathed swords were on her sides. A helmet covered most of her face, yet her hair came down around her shoulders. It looked like it was made of light. She was curled up on the ground, even with the helmet she had her hands covering the back of her head for protection. It then clicked for Cheetor that she hadn’t been screaming from pain, but fear. She had no idea what was going on. He didn’t even question how she even got there. He moved over to her and covered her as much as he could. He shielded her until the storm of time had passed. He looked around wondering why it suddenly stopped when he saw she was staring at him in utter confusion. She lifted up the front of her helmet so the bottom half of her face could be seen. A mask still covered the top of her face, making her eyes purely white.
He asked if she was ok. She nodded. He told her his name was Cheetor. Her eyes snapped open wide. She grabbed his arms and asked if he was a Maximal. When he said yes she asked him to take him to the others.
There was still a panic. When Cheetor rejoined them without Joey and Cheetara, but a fourteen-year-old human that looked like a glowing bluebell, it got worse. After a long night undoing the damage Megatron brought down upon them, the young girl finally explained herself. She introduced herself as Taurus, one of the twelve Signs. They knew that name. It was a group of children with very powerful abilities that Joey himself was personally training. Then, the other shoe dropped. She told them Joey and Cheetara had been expelled back through the gate and it shut itself to prevent any more damaged. That had been four years ago. Before anyone could say how could this get worse, Taurus hung her head and quietly spoke that the gate to Thundera was also closed. Forced shut by what she could only call a monster. Cheetara, her team, everyone on their world were now trapped with him. Cheetor just sank to the floor. She came over and sat across from him, putting her hand gently back on his arm. He could just feel that her pain was as deep as his. She must have known Cheetara and her team. Being Joey’s student, she may have known them longer than he had. He felt another hand on his shoulder. His crew had gathered around him. They were all hurting, but did not deny who was hit the hardest.
When her communication system began working again, Taurus immediately called her boss. Cheetor was nearly certain the Joey was breaking her personal speed record when he rushed into their new base. The look of relief on his face, to this day, Cheetor could never find the words for.
As if to compensate for Cheetara’s absence, Taurus came over as often as possible. The fact her swords could generate powerful energy beams that sent Predicons flying back helped keep everyone from protesting. When she headed home one night, Cheetor told “Tori” goodbye. He was met with looks of wide-eyed confusion from his crew. Apparently, he was the only one she had told her actual name to.
She was wickedly intelligent. She was funny and witty enough to banter back and forth with Rattrap until they had a couple of people laughing uncontrollably. She knew when someone needed an act of kindness or sympathy and was absolutely sincere about. She gave her heart to all the people that she loved. She had no fear of Predicons twice her size. A warrior. A caretaker. A shoulder to lean on or an arm to help you walk away from a battlefield. Cheetor eventually made a necklace with a stable piece of energon as it’s crystal to give to her.
Some part of his brain, however, knew he couldn’t do this. Maximals and humans just did not get together. Converting his age into human years, the gap made it too awkward even if he let himself think about it. There was also the fact that Joey would kill him. They would never find all his parts. His brain made his feelings alter. Made him come to the only real conclusion there could be. He began to have a crush on the only female member of his crew, Blackarachnia. It was still one of the stupidest things he had ever done. Tied with also pushing Tori away and treating her like a kid instead of the equal she had been.
The day they left for home, he found her sitting behind crates that still needed to be packed up. He had gotten off his high horse a few weeks ago, but he never gave her the apology she deserved. He knew she hated losing people. She knew he had to go home, they deserved it for all they had been through. He sat across from her and told her how much he now regretted every rude thing he had said. Every moment he had doubted or ignored her. That he could never make it up to her. She suddenly sat up and pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in his chest. She told him to just hold her while he still could. He did as she asked. He held onto her as she fought back tears. He did not want to let her go. For the first time, he thought about staying on Earth instead of getting back home. Optimus finally called out for him, and Tori released him. She cupped his face between her hands and told him that he was free now. Return home and finally get to live your life. He could only nod sadly and got up to go to Optimus.
Yes, it was true that Joey had brought back their memories of Earth. It was the case for everyone except Cheetor. At the time, he had infiltrated a Vechicon assembly warehouse. Being in robot mode made him detectable, so he to remain in beast mode as much as possible. That meant in order to do as much damage as possible, he’d have to change between modes quickly.
Well, that was the idea.
A whole squad of motorcycle Vechicon rushed into the room. They couldn’t have found him, he hadn’t even changed! He made sure to put the security system on a loop. The Vechicons didn’t even make it to the assembly lines when a thin blue light ran across them and they all feel apart cut cleanly in half. They hadn’t been coming for him, they had been running!
What could have done that, though? They didn’t any weapons like that. Cheetor had hidden under the conveyor belts but brought his head out when he saw someone come in. It was an adult human female. He suddenly stopped that train of thought when he saw she had long ears that went to a point. That was definitely not human. Each handheld a katana. Was that the cause of the current Vechicon parts on the floor? Her dark green eyes looked around the room, wary of what else might be around. Brown hair that reached past her shoulder blades framed her face. Her pants and jacket were denim. The shirt she wore was black and had a pair of old styled brown boots.
Who was this and how did she end up here? Another ship crash? She didn’t look remotely like a member of a space crew. That was when Cheetor sensed his communicator going off. In order to reach it, though, he would need to go into robot mode. He did not want to leave until his work here was done. He also wanted to ask this woman some questions. He ran upstairs into what would have probably been the break room had the planet been normal. He transformed and activated the com to see the holographic image of Optimus. He said that he was aware of what Cheetor was doing and only found fault in the fact that he went alone. However, he needed to return to base immediately. Cheetor tried to argue back, but Optimus told him that they found someone that could change the battle and that he needed to see him for himself to really understand. Cheetor sighed in annoyance and hung up. He was about to go back into beast mode when the door opened. He turned to see the woman looking at him with a look of shock and disbelief on her face. He took a step back in surprise. Maybe she hadn’t seen a Cybertronian before, or one not shooting at her. She was shaking now. When she finally spoke, she asked if his name really was Cheetor. She must have heard part of the conversation. When he said yes she told him her name was Tori and asked if he remembered her. He shook his head and just watched her heart shatter right in front of him. He felt like he deserved to have the Vechicons come in a shoot him down. She looked away from him as if she couldn’t take it anymore.
Before she could take off, a flash of realization came over her face. She grabbed the area around her neck and that was when he noticed the chain she was wearing. She pulled up to reveal the crystal attachment she kept safely under her shirt. An energon crystal. He knew that crystal. Her craved that crystal. He craved it for…
Tori saw the flash of light in his eyes and he suddenly had his hands around the hand she held out the crystal with. He called Taurus, then Tori. They were both shaking now. She cried in joy as he let go of her hand and jumped up to put her arms around his neck. He held her up with his arms to keep her from falling. He was not letting her go this time. Then she suggested rigging the building to blow before they left. Ok, he couldn’t argue with that.
An hour ago, he put his little girl down for bed. Purple eyes (slightly lighter than his) looked up at him as he carried her to her room. The brunette tried to argue out an agreement to stay up longer. The fact he had to carry her instead of holding her hand as they walked down the hallway together was proof she was too tired to do anything. She was asleep before he finished tucking her in. What an adorable little girl Tori had given him. Before leaving he kissed her forehead. “Goodnight, Catalina.”
Back home, scientists had been worked with the idea of biological reproduction. They only had the basic ideas, since nobody was ok volunteering. His organic form was capable, but they expected that. What they don’t know and would never know was a few months back Tori him to be with her if just once in robot mode. The way she met him. It was her way of trying to make him feel more comfortable, that she did not care what he looked like. They had one child already, which he believed allowed him to activate something within his robot mode he didn’t know he had. She had been more than glad to let him put it to use.
He heard fabric hit the floor. The hand he had been staring at he now used to prop his head to look at his wife. She had taken off her shirt to look at her well-rounded stomach in the full-length mirror. She still had her maternity bra on, but that was fine with him. She said it hurt when she didn’t have them on. He returned his attention the far more important area of her body. The first Cybertronian that had been created within a biological womb. The first one to ever have a live birth. The first to actually be considered a baby. There was a lot of him, too. Tori blamed the crazy limbs he had in robot mode. There were another few weeks before his due date and Tori was now bigger than she was when she was full term with Cat. She didn’t leave the house now since one too many people asked how many was she having and Cheetor had to hold off her murder spree. She was looking at her profile which really let Cheetor see how big she was getting. She had to stand back a bit to make sure her entire stomach was in the frame. She rubbed down the sides in small, slow circles. She could feel her baby boy wherever she touched and couldn’t help but smile when he slid a foot down her side as thanks.
It was when she decided to look at herself from the front did she notice her overly excited husband in the reflection. He was too busy looking how her sides curved out to her pregnancy obvious from the back. She sighed as she slightly turned back toward with. “Out of all the people on your world, I actually find the one with the pregnancy kink.” Cheetor raised his head some to look her in the face. “We have been over this. If it was a kink I’d be looking at every pregnant woman. I only want to see you like this. You carry our kids so well.” She did. She was carrying a completely different being inside her and her body had adapted fully for it. Her hips and legs had gotten wider and stronger so she could get around easily. Only her back and bladder gave her grief. She could even still intimidate people by marching toward them. Her stomach size only alerted them to the fact that this woman would do anything to them in order to keep her child safe.
Cheetor was filled with pride and awe over her. She actually carried their kids, his kids, through the whole ordeal of mammalian pregnancy. She had always wanted to remain a warrior, ready to protect someone at a moment’s notice. As much as she hid it, he knew she enjoyed creating a living being inside her. He overheard her moaning when she thought he was out of range too many times for her to avoid the fact. Now she was pregnant with a little boy no one thought could possibly exist. Ryan Optimus Kenton. A name Rattrap applauded when he was told.
Tori smirked. “It just seems to me you enjoy this a little too much, Chee.” She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Of course, he to be already shirtless. Of course he to wearing those well-fitting black pants. Of course, he had to be looking at her with half-lid purple eyes and an intrigued smile.
And he just had to be right that about her loving every day his children grew inside her. She truly loved this man.
He knew there was a shift in the mood when she deliberately put both hands on the small of her back to arch out her stomach so it looked bigger. Cheetor propped himself up with his forearms as she slowly walked past him to their private bathroom. She paused when she opened to door. “Our son wants some pampering. I wouldn’t mind some myself while I take care of him.” He was behind her the moment she finished he sentence. She leaned against him as he gently rubbed her stomach. Her sides, arch, and the underside; where ever he could reach. She felt Ryan nuzzle against his father’s hands and she couldn’t keep a moan of pleasure from coming out. She suddenly felt his warm breath on her neck as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “How about I take care of the both of you?” He spoke deeply. Tori was too enraptured now to fake an argument.
Cheetor had never been so glad to have been born a Transformer.