Chapter Text
“Bea! Don't stay out too late!”
“I won't, dad! I'm just gonna work on this little guy for a bit longer, kay?”
It was 11:30 pm in Mechany, New York- a crisp autumn evening, stars shining bright. Most people would be in their homes at this time, but there was one person still out.
That person was Beatrice Bourdon, a sixteen year old girl with a mess of freckles on her cheeks and nose, dirty blonde hair tied into a messy bun, and dark blue eyes. She was wearing her work uniform consisting of a cream turtleneck, black leggings, brown work boots, and a white apron from her family's repair shop- the words “Bourdon Robot Repairs” printed in bold lettering on the front, a cartoon bee below it.
She stared at the helibot laying on the ground in front of her, blue with a white bottom and a propeller on top. It was brought in earlier that day, a dented propeller. Okay, shouldn't be too hard…
About a half an hour into her job, Bea couldn't help but hear something roll onto the asphalt outside the house, she paused. Headlights were on the ground just behind her, almost blinding. She shielded her eyes, trying to get a good look at the car. What were they doing there so late…?
“Hey, uh… Can I help you? Do you have a small robot in there with you, or…?” No response.
“Uh… A-are you okay? Are you hurt, I could call 91-”
“Wait!”
… It beeped.
Only robots spoke in beeps.
She'd grown up around robots, and those beeps were basically a second language to her.
This car wasn't.
It.
It was a robot. …
How?
“You just spoke in beeps! What are you? An AI car?! A car that's a robot in disguise?” Yeah right, that's ridic-
The headlights shut off. N… No one was getting out. Were they hesitating? What was-
“Can you keep a secret?” It was a simple question.
“I… Suppose?” She raised a brow.
What happened next was far from what she had expected.
There were countless whirrs, a mess of yellow and back metal moving as the car… Changed shape.
Transformed actually.
Before her, crouching down, was the biggest robot she'd ever seen. It had bright blue eyes, big and round- a permanent puppy dog look on its face. It's chest plates were broad, yellow in color, the metal underneath a black color, it's headlights were located on its chest.
“... You're a robot.” She managed to get out. “Who can… turn into a car."
It let out a series of beeps and clicks, was.
Was it laughing at her?
“No, really? I hadn't noticed!” It chuckled out.
“Okay, bad choice of words. But- how can I help you?”
“Ah, I was banged up pretty badly and I'm far from my base…” It explained, gesturing to the large dent in its left arm, Beatrice winced at the sight.
“I… I'll see what I can do? I've never worked with bots your size!” She explained.
“Thank you anyway- uh. What's your name?”
“Beatrice.”
“Bumblebee.”
It took her about an hour and a half, but the dent was barely visible now! She smiled up at the bot, patting his arm lightly. “Good as new! It was nice to meet you, Bee! If you need a repair, don't be afraid to-” she had turned to put her tool away, but when she turned back, he was gone. The only thing in his place was a golden key with a bumblebee shape at the top in place of a loop.
“Bee…? You dropped something! I'll return it to him when I see him again.”
She shrugged, heading inside.
She had no idea what kinds of things that key could do.
Or the trouble that robot was about to get her in.