Chapter Eighteen:

Only the Beginning

It was mid-afternoon when Optimus Prime returned to the Coast Guard station with General Morshower. Taylor fixed herself up as best she could, now wearing a black tank top and camouflage jacket. As the doors opened, the first vehicle that drove in was a familiar yellow volkswagen beetle. “Bumblebee!” Taylor cried, gleefully. Bumblebee transformed into robot mode and smiled, overjoyed to see her up and walking. Optimus soon came up behind them. His driver-seat door opened and Morshower stepped out, before he transformed into robot mode. It didn’t fully dawn on just how tall he really was compared to her until now. She pushed back her feelings of being puny so she could focus. “Good to see you up and about again, Captain” said Morshower. Taylor nodded respectively. She noticed that he didn’t addressed her as Knightingale, but Captain. She wondered why.

Then, once everyone settled down, Optimus Prime began to speak. “I’m sure you are eager to know what happened two Earth days ago, as well as what has been decided.” “Yes, my eye. What happened?” Taylor inquired. Optimus and General Morshower looked at each other, who then said:

“When you coupled that helmet up to the Matrix in order to revive us, somehow, some of the energy was transferred over to you.”

“That power was eventually realized when you used it to defeat Megatron and save me” Optimus finished.

Taylor went red with embarrassment for a moment, then said, “Wait, are you saying that the Matrix…gave me some of its power? Like how it gives the Primes?”

“That’s not the only peculiar element in all of this” said Ratchet, “Knightingale, I’ve scanned your body. Your skeleton is not made of calcium or marrow like a normal human skeleton. Somehow, your skeleton was fashioned of Cybertonium. Knightingale, you are only half-human. They didn’t just transfer your conscious, they must’ve used some of your old parts to make you…”

“So even as a human I’m still not normal…” Taylor thought aloud. There was a moment of silence. Bumblebee glanced over at her, slightly concerned, wondering what she was thinking.

“Cybertron is gone, yet hope remains on this planet,” Optimus declared, “If we are to stay, we must learn to work with humans, and protect them. Though they are still young, they have the potential to be something great.” He turned to Taylor, with a warm smile. “Knightingale, you have lived on this planet far longer than any of us. Will you accept the privilege of becoming our ambassador?” Taylor was surprised. “Ambassador? A representative of the Autobots? The path between humans and cybertronians?” Then, she smiled, stammering, “Y-yes sir!” Optimus nodded. Then, he looked at Bumblebee. “Bumblebee, it is essential that our Ambassador is assigned a Guardian. Would you like to volunteer?” Taylor glanced at Bumblebee with a nervous grin. Bumblebee grinned back, excited. “Yes sir!” He exclaimed.Taylor let out a sigh of relief. Now they would always be together. “It is decided then. Knightingale, from this point forward, Bumblebee will be your guardian, always and until the war has ended.”

“Yes sir. Thank you sir!”

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Taylor raised the garage door open. The crickets began to chirp in the bushes as the sun lowered. The yellow, black-striped beetle flicked its lights off once the lights inside the garage turned on. “Alright Bee, the coast is clear. Go on in” Taylor ordered. Slowly, the beetle inched his way inside. Taylor followed it inside, and closed the door.

“Well, welcome to your new home” she announced, throwing her hands up slightly. Cautiously, Bumblebee transformed. He leaned forward, trying to stand up, but he was unable to without wacking his head on the roof. “Erm…I don’t mean to be a whiny sparkling…” Bumblebee said, hesitantly, “But…Really?” Taylor chuckled. “Don’t worry! This is temporary, I promise! I already figured it’d be a bit too small. But this is all I’ve got.” Bumblebee sighed. “Well…I guess I can get used to it” he murmured, shrugging. There was a moment of silence. “Bee…” Taylor finally said, “I really appreciate you taking up the job. It…means a lot to me.” Bumblebee smiled. “Of course. Don’t know who else I’d rather be with. Besides, it’s been well overdue to spend some time together.” Taylor’s cheeks got rosy pink and she scratched her nose, looking down at the floor. “Gosh” she mumbled.

Taylor turned back to Bumblebee.

“You wanna know something?” Taylor asked.

“What?”

“Twenty years ago, I made a vow that I would live a life that would be honoring in the Autobots memory…” She chuckled, “Well, I did it, even more than I thought I could.”

Bumblebee looked at her and smiled.

Taylor then frowned, and stiffened.

“Now that I have received a new mission, I realize I have a lot I have to learn…”

She had a slight distressed look on her face.

“What I did, what I turned into, that can’t happen again.”

“Knightingale, there wasn’t-” Bee began.

But Taylor promptly interrupted, “That is not the right way!” Taylor turned away.

“I want the Decepticons gone as bad as anyone. But…since I’m the ambassador, I need to be a better influence.” She turned back around.

Bumblebee didn’t know what to say. He only wore a worried look.

Taylor smiled, sadly.

She joked: “Also, twenty years being a common human makes you very uncoordinated. As demonstrated at the power plant.”

Bumblebee laughed. Taylor chuckled along with him. She then approached him, and affectionately put her hand on his arm. “Don’t worry. We’re going to get through this. Megatron may have gotten away, but we have shown we’re still here, and we’re not giving up. We will defend our home to the last breath.” Taylor slowly put her hands around his neck, and sighed. Slowly, she felt his arms wrap around her. She closed her eyes, and she smiled, whispering,

“Everything’s gonna be alright.”

“Fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret. I have witnessed their capacity for courage; though we are worlds apart, like us, there’s more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.”

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To be Continued…

And here we are. The last chapter of Knightingale Flies Again! I hope you enjoyed this series! Leave and like and comment if you want to support me! More of Transformers: Revolution will be on the way presently!