Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Ogasawara Islands, or the Bonin Islands, is an archipelago of over thirty subtropical and tropical islands in Micronesia, south of Tokyo’s Japanese capital. Despite its proximity to the city, getting to any one of these islands took some effort. For example, to reach the most populated of these islands, Chichijima, one had to take the ferry and arrive at Futami Port. Then from there, they could have access to any of the popular tourist attractions available to enjoy and take some time to wind down.

And for two individuals, they had come here for just that. 

It wasn’t the most straightforward task in getting the disguised Autobot aboard the ferry, let alone for his “driver” to navigate him down to the shoreline, but this was the only time that either of them could come out. For, despite his status as a defender and savior of the planet Earth, the Autobot was being hunted, as was the woman he was with.

A blonde, American woman stepped out of the red semi-truck, a light breeze playing with her long hair. She wore a low-cut, black top with three white skulls with eyepatches (each with a heart inside) and a white bikini top underneath the shirt. In addition, she wore a pair of jean shorts, a pair of pink and black sandals, and a silver cross on a chain around her neck.

“Brr!” she said, hugging herself. “Why does it get so cold here in Japan? It’s still summer!”

“I apologize that I can only take you this late, Marissa.” the robot in disguise told the woman. “If it were possible, I’d bring you at an earlier time.”

“Oh no! Don’t worry about it, Optimus!” the blonde, Marissa Faireborn, told the Autobot leader. “Besides, I like surfing at night. With the moon out; and the stars…” she paused, looking up at the sky. While the moon was not complete, the stars were bright and shining in the black abyss above. “It’s beautiful.” 

“Perhaps one day, I could try my hand at surfing again.” Optimus told the woman.

“Yeah, maybe,” she replied. “Wait.” she then realized what her “ride” had just said. “You tried surfing before?”

The truck chuckled, his deep voice still managing to send shivers through Marissa. Still, the baritone was surprisingly calm and gentle. It gave her a sense of ease around her fellow runaway. “You humans call it surfing, but I and the rest of us just thought that the air boards were the most efficient way to travel.” 

He then proceeded to tell her of the incident involving Megatron attempting to pull Cybertron into Earth’s orbit. He didn’t think much of it at first, but when the whole event was over, he found himself complimented on his “surfing skills.”

“It was Spike who gave us all the history of the sport. Bumblebee wanted to try it immediately; Bluestreak then asked Spike for tips. Pretty soon, everyone aboard the Ark wanted to learn how to surf.”

Marrissa giggled, then moved to the back of the truck, bringing the panel down. “So, did any of them learn? Did you?” she questioned, intrigued. 

Optimus chuckled again. “Some were more successful than others.” he admitted. 

“And you?” she continued to ask, grabbing her surfboard. It was pink and black, matching her shirt. 

“I’ll admit that I never officially learned how.” the Autobot leader answered. “Though I suppose I could try to learn. If you’re willing to teach me.” 

Marissa thought about it for a moment. “Hmm…well, the first thing we would need to do is find a surfboard big enough for you,” she said, the panel putting itself back up. Sometimes it was handy having a truck that was “alive.” “And we would need one that could hold your weight.”

He knew what the human woman meant, but still, he had moments he liked to be humorous too. “Are you saying I’m fat?”

Marissa caught on and indulged him. “Well, you HAVE been taking up a lot of gas lately. So maybe I should have you switch over to a hybrid model.” 

“Oh, so now I have a drinking problem, do I?” Optimus questioned.

“Hey, you’re the one who said it, not me!” Marissa told him. 

He then transformed before her, towering over her petite form. Despite seeing it several times, the woman was still astonished at how the living machine altered his body so seamlessly from a vehicle to a more humanoid form. Well, humanoid was perhaps being a bit generous. 

“Do you want me to discipline you again?” 

The human paled. The last disciplinary session she had with him involved a good long tickling. She had no idea the Autobot Commander could be so ruthless with his digits.

“Uh…well, the night’s still young, and the waves are still good, so I should get going! Bye!” with that, she sped off towards the ocean, but not before stopping at the shore to take her top off and throwing it on the sand and revealing a toned, muscular but feminine figure, the moonlight highlighting her features. Even from a distance, Optimus could see her figure. 

Out at Sea

The water was a suitable temperature: not too cold but with just enough chill to let Marissa know that the depths were unexplored territory. But she had no intention of diving deep down; she would stick much closer to the surface. 

Seeing a perfect wave coming in, Marissa swam towards it and got atop her board, immediately riding the water and being propelled further by it. As she surfed wave after wave, the woman felt exhilarated. There was nothing more satisfying than conquering the ocean with just a surfboard, riding the waves, and hearing the endless sound of water and the scent of salt. 

It was heaven. But it was a heaven that she could only experience alone. 

As she continued surfing, Marissa found her thoughts turning to Optimus. The image of him surfing was quite humorous to her, yet she was curious about how well he would be at it: no fancy, Cybertronian gadgets, just him and a board. Well, one big enough for him anyway. Yet the image of him surfing alongside her seemed to plague her mind. She and him, riding together, side by side underneath the blazing sun and a clear sky. Or, as she was doing now, underneath the darkened abyss lit up by stars. 

Someday. she thought to herself. Someday…I’ll take you out with me. We’ll both ride the waves together. 

Pondering the scenario of the Autobot leader surfing, Marissa was utterly unaware of the danger that lurked beneath her. 

The unseen creature had sensed her the moment she had stepped into the water. There was an energy signature radiating off of her. Something that it had seen before long ago. One that reminded it of the glimmering, shining light of the Matrix. 

She was one of those who could channel and harness the power of her guardian. 

She was a Kiss Player. 

Its hunger grew insatiable as it observed from below, rising from the depths and inching closer and closer to her unsuspecting form.

Perhaps I should take up some surfing lessons. So Optimus thought, gazing out into the ocean, keeping track of Marissa’s shape as she rode the water. 

She was gorgeous. Her toned body complimented her white bikini, golden hair that traveled in a beautiful wave as she surfed, the way the moonlight reflected off of her skin…

Had one asked Optimus when the Autobots first came to Earth, he would’ve dismissed the idea of being attracted to a human. But, ironically enough, Spike asked him that question when he had proposed to Carly. 

At first, Optimus found the idea hilarious. While humans were indeed trusted allies and creatures that deserved his and the Autobots’ protection, there was a barrier between them and Cybertronians that he didn’t believe could be crossed. After all, even if their efforts contributed significantly to their cause, humans were still small, fleshy, and easy to maim or kill. Moreover, to develop romantic affections for one was utterly foreign to him.

That was all before she had awakened him. 

She had rescued him from the clutches of the EDC, and since then, they both have been on the run from the organization. She knew what she was risking, she knew she would be labeled a terrorist, but the blonde woman continued through the guards and incoming projectiles—only armed with a pair of knives—all to save him.

And the first sensation he became aware of was the sensation of her lips against his face mask. 

Just then, he was drawn from his thoughts by the sight of something in the water, as well as someone missing. Marissa’s surfboard was tossed around by the ocean, yet the woman was nowhere to be seen. 

“Marissa?” Optimus transformed out of vehicle mode, standing tall and looking further into the sea. She was gone. “Marissa?!” 

The Autobot wasted no time running to the ocean, his larger form allowing him to traverse depths and still feel the sand underneath his peds. “Marissa!!!” he called out, booming voice echoing through the night. He knew that there was a potential risk that someone could hear him, though the beach they had come to was relatively isolated. Meaning that, likely, even if he was heard, any potential help wouldn’t make it in time. 

“Marissa!!! MARISSA!!!” Optimus called out, but still, he couldn’t get a response from her. 

It was then that he noticed bubbles. He looked down and saw the vague but identifiable sight of a humanoid form underneath the water’s surface. He saw Marissa steadily rising, but she held her breath, unable to swim up. 

What was holding her down was soon revealed, bursting out from the depths with the ensnared Marissa in its tentacles. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

August 10th, 2006

A year after the Battle at Autobot City

The Ogasawara Islands.

Or, if you prefer, go by its shorter name, the Bonin Islands.

Either way, it's an archipelago of over thirty islands, both tropical and subtropical. And, even better, it's located in Micronesia, just south of Tokyo.

Oh, yes, that's right, I forgot to start at the beginning. Well, it's a little too late to go back now. Both, because I don't want to have to log down this text again trying to make it look pretty.

Plus, I'm not sure of just how much time we even have left, all things considered.

And I want to get everything I can down. I don't want to lose one moment in time. Not after what happened before.

I wasn't there for it, yet I remember when I heard it happened. I remember hearing the silence that filled the room, and how all hope seemed to leave the faces of everyone I served alongside.

And I remember how I was the only one denying it to the very end.

Right until I saw Hot Rod return to Earth. Or, rather, Rodimus Prime.

It was then that I knew my father spoke the truth. And it was also then that I collapsed in his arms, the crushing reality quite literally too much for me to take.

Pathetic really. Had I known what was to come next, I would've saved my energy.

But I'm going off-topic, sorry.

Anyway, Tokyo, Japan.

Yeah, I'm currently in the Land of the Rising Sun itself. It was the home of one of my dad's friends. And, ironically enough, also one of his enemies. But that's neither here nor there. Besides, technically, my own parents count as my enemy.

Our enemy.

Make no mistake, I hold no ill will toward my parents. Far from it, this is all due to circumstances beyond their control. They know this, and, for that, I'm thankful. But, still, knowing that their child is a wanted felon with a piece of stolen alien technology, perhaps I should be grateful that alerting their superiors was all they said they were obligated to do.

It's all the fault of those bastards. The EDC.

But, again, I'm getting back off-topic.

The point is, I was in Tokyo at the time, and, upon seeing an ad for Futami Port, my friend suggested that we both take a little trip.

Friend.

…yeah, let's go with that.

My only companion at the moment. The only one I can count on.

At first, I told him he was insane, yet he insisted. He even said he studied the ferry's schedule and knew what times the boats came and went. And, even more, of how he could manage to sneak both her and himself on board without anyone being aware of our existence.

Needless to say, he has his…methods of getting what he wants. Or rather, what he apparently thinks I need.

Still, it was perhaps the only time I would actually be able to get some free time.

Upon purchasing a ticket, I boarded the ferry and headed to Chichijima, all the while my traveling companion hid himself in plain sight, although the only eyes that could see him were those more suited for an aquatic environment. Regardless, upon reaching Chichijima, the most populous of the islands, we both had free access to the popular tourist attractions that always drew summer crowds.

Of course, we had some plans, yet there was one activity I had confessed I hadn't done in a while. And upon hearing that, he insisted that he take me.

Bear in mind, while some time out at the ocean sounded nice, it wasn't exactly the most straightforward task getting there, let alone so close to the shoreline and out in the open. Because despite his status as a defender and protector of not just the Earth, but the human species and all other forms of life on this planet, he was being hunted.

The smallest sight of him, and we could potentially have the entire military of Japan on our heels. Little did I know, we would be having an encounter with one of our more "regular" sources of opposition.

A Distant Island off the Coast of Tokyo

As she stepped out from the red semi-truck, a light breeze immediately took hold of her blonde locks and began to toy and play with them, its chill also migrating to the rest of her body.

From within the disguised vehicle emerged a blonde woman in her early twenties, American in origin and sporting a long, vibrant wave of golden hair with a pair of bright blue eyes and fair-colored skin. Her form was toned yet still retained a feminine shape, her figure highlighted by her outfit, which would soon be stripped away once she was fully prepared.

For now, however, she wore a low-cut top of black and pink with three skulls emblazoned on the chest, each having one of their hollow sockets covered with an eyepatch containing a small heart in the center. Jean shorts covered her lower half and a pair of black and pink flip-flops rested on her feet, a silver chain with a steel cross around her neck.

"Brr!" The woman shivered in the seaside air. "Why are the nights in this country so cold? It's still supposed to be summer, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry about the lateness, Marissa," a low, rumbling voice apologized, male in tone and deep in pitch. "If I had known it would be so difficult to get here without being seen, I would've suggested something else."

She turned to face the truck, her companion and presented him with a reassuring smile. "Oh no, don't worry about it, Optimus. It's fine!" She answered. "Besides, it might be a little chilly, but I've always been curious about going to the beach at night, with the moon and stars out…" She paused, turning her head upward to gaze at the starlit abyss above her. "It's beautiful."

"Indeed," Optimus, more specifically, Optimus Prime, agreed, although the most he did was make a slight movement with his mirrors. "It's been some time since I've seen your planet's skies out in the open," he mused aloud. "The sensation of the wind…it's still somewhat foreign to me, even if I already know what it feels like."

The woman, Marissa, specifically Marissa Fairborne, noted her ride's sudden sense of melancholy, becoming slightly worried at his current state. Perhaps coming out here was a bad idea. Then, in the corner of her eye, she saw the waves begin to lightly kiss the shoreline, the water dark and fathomless, yet the reflection of the full moon provided her with enough lighting to see clearly.

"It's been a while since you've been…" Marissa began but stopped herself. Even if it had been some time ago, she still didn't exactly care to acknowledge the event that took Prime's life prior to his second revival. "Did you miss it?" she found herself asking all the same. If she didn't want to focus on his death, then at least she could focus on the life he currently had now, right?

"...not everything," Optimus confessed. "I…had hoped that should events such as what occurred happen, that I would come back to a world where the war was no more," he told his companion. "However, overall, the sensation of your planet's natural elements underneath my wheels, the fragile strength of your flora and fauna," he paused. "That…I have realized I took it for granted."

Marissa looked out at the ocean. "And what do you think of this place?" she inquired, the wind still forcing her hair to lightly dance in the breeze.

"It is… pleasant," the Autobot answered. "If there's anything positive about our current predicament," he said. "Perhaps it's the opportunities to see locations such as these."

"I thought you traveled all over the world when you and the Decepticons first came to Earth." The blonde woman responded with some confusion.

"True, we did," the convoy confessed. "However, I suppose you could say that we didn't have much time to stay and enjoy the view," his headlights peered out at the calm, moonlit sea. "Hmm…perhaps I should try my hand at, what you humans call it, hanging ten again."

Marissa giggled. "I think you need toes in order to hang," she said, but then realized just what her ride had implied. "Wait a minute, she said, about to go to the back of the massive trailer. "You surfed before?"

Prime chuckled, the deep baritone still involuntarily sending shivers through Marissa's spine due to the tone. Something she both dreaded yet craved at the same time. She was fearful that her reaction would make her appear foolish in front of him, yet, all the same, the alien machine's voice always provided her with a sense of warmth and security. Perhaps it was just part of being a commander for around four million years (in Earth time, anyway), yet she couldn't help but wonder if part of it was just his natural tone.

Such a thing was simply part of who he was.

"I suppose it's the closest activity you can compare it to, yet I and the rest of the Autobots just saw it as the most efficient way to travel," he told her. "Especially considering Megatron was attempting to pull Cybertron into Earth's orbit."

"Oh yeah, right, I remember Dad telling me something about that," Marissa remarked, indeed reminiscing on the latest news of the heroic deeds of the Autobots.

"Spike was initially the one who proceeded to give us all a history of the activity after everything had settled down," Optimus informed her. "Bumblebee was the first to give it a try," he explained, then lightly chuckled. "Albeit, with varying success at first."

Marissa giggled as well. It was so rare for her to be able to get him like this. So jovial, nostalgic, happy even. Even if a metallic face mask covered everything from the eyes down, she wanted nothing more than to "hear" her guardian smile, for she couldn't see. "And so?" She inquired, going to the back of the trailer of the eighteen-wheeler.

"It took some effort on his part, as well as some tutoring from some of the more skilled of us, yet Bumblebee eventually managed to surf rather smoothly with the waves."

"From the sound of it, I'm assuming you learned too?" The blonde woman asked, the back compartment of the trailer coming down, revealing a mobile vehicle just around her size with a towel in the front and a surfboard in the back. "Hey, Roller." Marissa greeted, Roller in turn beeping back in response.

"Actually," Optimus answered. "I was one of those that never officially learned how," he confessed. "Although, given we've been doing some traveling as of late, some more unorthodox than others," he heard wheels traveling over foliage and rocky terrain, Roller pulling up to the front with Marissa in the driver's seat. "Perhaps I could be willing to undergo some lessons."

The wavy-haired, toned woman raised a brow. "You want to learn how to surf?" She questioned.

"If you're willing to teach me."

The blonde pondered the Transformer's proposal, although she found herself focused on the sound of that small chuckle he did. His laugh, something he didn't do often enough, that was for sure.

So, she decided to humor him.

"Hmmm…" she thought aloud. "Well, if we're going to go that route," she said," Then the first thing we need is something that can both serve as a surfboard," she then examined the truck before her, a wry grin coming to her face. "And maybe something that would at least be able to hold your weight."

She meant nothing malicious by it, he knew, yet still, Optimus couldn't help but get the sense that she was trying to goad him into responding with her, albeit in jest. Very well, he thought. He would oblige. "I do hope you're not insinuating I'm overweight." He joked.

"No way!" Marissa immediately corrected. "Although, if anything, maybe you could stand to adjust to a bit of a diet on gas," she brought her hand to rest below her lip. "Wonder if they've got anything hybrid in trucks?"

"Oh, so then I have a drinking problem now, is that it?" Prime questioned, actually managing to shock his passenger with his comeback.

"Hey, you're the one that said it, not me."

The vehicular portion of the eighteen-wheeler separated from the trailer and, like his namesake species indicated, transformed before the nineteen-year-old and Roller, a bipedal Titan of red, blue, and silver towering over them both. It was a scene she had seen before several times, yet Marissa found herself in shock and awe every single time. Indeed, as she once heard Chip Chase himself declare, it never got old.

Still, it was at that moment she realized that perhaps she had bitten off more than she could chew, Prime gazing at her with amusement, yet with a glint of mischievous intent.

"Do you want me to have to remind you of your place, young lady?" He quipped, hands on his hips as he leaned down to square off with the blonde. "Is some discipline in order?"

The human paled, standing still and silent, as if she had just realized an apex predator that had been stalking her was now just mere feet away, ready to pounce at any given moment.

"…well, I just realized the night is young and the waves are still good, so I'll see you later, I guess! Bye!" She then hissed. "Roller, go!"

The silver vehicle obeyed, driving off with Marissa and her surfing gear, although he gave Prime a few humored beeps in response to his "threats" toward the human.

Optimus chuckled back, albeit in Cybertronian dialect, completely foreign to human ears, yet he ultimately appreciated the woman's efforts. As he watched her and Roller grow more and more distant, approaching the shore of the isolated beach, the metallic alien life form allowed his large form to recline down on the grass, optics turned to view the night ocean and its equally brilliant partner, the night sky.

"Indeed," he remarked to no one in particular, although there was a certain human on his mind. "The night is still young."

The Shore

Discipline…ugh! She shuddered at the very thought of it.

While Prime would do nothing to harm her, Marissa Faireborn had become more than aware that he was more than capable and willing to retaliate if he thought she was going too far. A la, he was perfectly fine with making her eat her words or confessing to whatever secret she was keeping from him, anything.

And the methods in which he could do it was something that sort of frightened the woman, to say the least. If he wanted, Optimus Prime could've been a brilliant evil genius.

Still, it was true what she said, the night was young, yet it wouldn't be forever. And, as unfortunate as it was to acknowledge what was supposed to be their time "off" in a way, both she and the Autobot were still on the run. From her own government as well.

Having arrived at the edge of the shoreline, Marissa exited Roller and relieved herself of her black and pink top, placing it in the passenger's seat, along with her jean shorts and sandals, her ivory bikini matching perfectly with the moon's pale hue. Taking her surfboard, also black and pink akin to her clothing, the blonde woman took a few tentative steps toward the ocean, letting the gentle waves lap against her bare feet, the sand's texture immediately changing on her soles.

The water in itself was a suitable temperature: not too chilled to be unbearable, yet with enough of a cold bite to give her skin a twinge of gooseflesh. Indeed, while surfing under the sun would've been nice, the moon provided enough light for her to see, allowing her to easily wade in and get in the ocean, eventually reaching a depth to where she could hop on her board and paddle out to depths unknown. Although, personally, she had no intention of going anywhere deep, let alone far. No, what she sought was what rose to the surface in graceful bends and curves, allowing her to ride the very motions of the ocean itself.

And, lo and behold, she saw a perfect one coming in.

Getting into position, Marissa swam a short distance forward, and then, upon seeing the wave come closer, she mounted her board, the sports instrument propelled forward by the motion of the water.

It was nothing short of absolutely exhilarating.

Marissa herself had experienced her fair share of adrenaline-pumping incidents and missions, both for her own group and for Optimus, yet the present danger here was different compared to those she had to deal with at a rate that almost seemed regular by this point. Surfing, while certainly coupled with its own set of potential hazards, yet, in contrast to battling her own government and the remains of Prime's enemies, the force of the ocean and nature was a change she embraced.

It was heaven.

Although, a heaven that she could only experience alone.

She continued to ride the water, allowing the ocean to carry her, in turn risking and defying the very force of both the water and gravity as she rode the waves, the moon casting down with its lesser light and presenting her with just enough visibility to navigate through the darkness of night. The continuous rhythm of water beating against itself, the sound a strange harmony between soothing yet potentially violent, Marissa almost losing herself to the sensation of the moisture surrounding her, along with the melodious song of the ocean.

The sea had drawn her in too deep.

The wave crashed down on her, Marissa feeling the water force her almost feeble and pathetically weak form down under the surface, losing her footing on her board and feeling it slip out from underneath. After a few moments, she rose, looking around to find the black and pink floatation device a few feet away, the woman quickly swam over to once again get atop the board. Although, ultimately, she saw no more waves at the current moment anywhere close. For now, the ocean was rather calm.

Her thoughts turned to her companion, or rather, the main portion of the three-component Cybertronian. Her hero, her savior, the one who had risked so much to just get her here, looking to see if she could perhaps spot him somewhere nearby, a few cliff sides still visible from where she was at.

The prospect of THE Optimus Prime "hanging ten" in a sense was both intriguing and humorous, yet, when the time came, he proved he was indeed capable. Of course, this in turn led to the possibility of whether such a thing could be. True, it would have to be large enough to both support him and float, yet, should he be able to legitimately do it, what would it look like?

No fancy, Cybertronian gadgets, just him and a board. Well, one big enough for him anyway.

Marissa herself suspected that it wouldn't take long for Prime to master the art, seeing at how he adapted quickly, a trait inherited to his species. Oddly enough, akin to humans. But, if he hypothetically managed to indeed learn, then what would they do? He would surely insist on joining her, if not after some convincing on her part. He was always so worried that he would somehow accidentally fall on her. Still, he would eventually go, even if it was just so she could watch, yet that was just a step.

She and him, side by side, riding the ocean together. Either underneath the gentle, burning rays of the sun or with a darkened starlit abyss hanging over their heads, the waves would still be there to carry them regardless.

It was nothing short of incredible.

Someday, she thought to herself. Someday…I'll take you out with me. We'll both ride the waves together. Her eyes turned upward toward the stars. Whether it's beneath the sun or the moon, we'll do it," she sighed, taking in the sea salt air. Together.

At last, she had stopped.

They had sensed a presence when a new life form had entered the water, yet it was only after she wiped out did it have enough time to truly read her energy signature. She was more than just a homo sapien, a humanoid primate. No, within her core rested a part of her that perhaps she wasn't even aware of.

A small piece, shining and bright, like the light of the Matrix.

It could wait no longer, the source of that energy, it had to belong to it. It had to claim the source of nourishment as it's own!

Hunger now growing insatiable, the massive yet elusive predator from down below steadily began to rise, inching closer and closer to the unsuspecting form of the human riding the ocean waves.

All right, she's still looking up at the sky, Prime observed through his link with Roller, the smaller transport vehicle keeping a literal eye on the Cybertronian's charge as she continued her time out at sea. Make sure she doesn't go too far. I'll be up here if you need me.

He, on the other hand, found that a lack of activity was just what he needed at the moment.

Optimus sat upon the fertile, green-covered Earth, surrounded by flowering plants and blue optics turned to the stars as well, his processor consumed with musings of times from both the past and present, and perhaps the soon-to-be future.

It had been his idea to take Marissa here, if not due to the fact the young woman had gotten little to no time for herself, yet, while he knew she would be drawn to the prospect of surfing, Prime found he wished to recline and rest upon the surface of the very planet he crash-landed on millions of years ago.

The planet he had unintentionally brought his people's war to.

"Even after all you've endured," he said aloud, not talking particularly to anyone in particular, yet he couldn't help but envision the surrounding flora and gentle waves surrounding him, elements of the Earth. No, the Earth itself. Herself. "You still retain your beauty."

Then, a young girl with brunette hair came to mind, followed by that girl transitioning into womanhood, her once-dark locks brightening and catching the sun on their surface. "And you," he remarked. "You've grown into a fine human," he paused, almost ready to stop there. Yet, it wasn't enough. "A fine…woman," he corrected himself. "A fine femme."

Well, not exactly a femme, yet there were moments when Marissa Faireborn made Optimus Prime himself question that. Especially considering that, as of now, the human had escaped the grasp of both the enemy and death several times. All in the name of him, the one that the public now labeled their enemy.

"I owe you much, spirited one," Prime expressed openly. "In fact, I owe you more than just my life. I owe you my…?"

A series of beeps met his communicator, the possessor of the frequent noises and high-pitched squeaks alerting the Autobot that something was more than amiss. There was potential danger afoot.

"Roller, calm down!" Prime assured his secondary component. "Where exactly was she last?"

Roller answered, detailing the exact measurements from the shore she had last been seen at, as well as the coordinates given his higher vantage point.

"All right, I'm coming down to investigate!" Optimus declared, rising to his feet and rushing down the hill, reaching the shoreline and Roller in a short time before plunging into the ocean itself, the density of the water momentarily limiting his movement as he went in deeper and deeper, having reached just beneath his chest. "Marissa?!" he called out, optics peeled for any sign of the young woman. "Marissa?! MARISSA?!"

He received no answer, just the stillness of the night and the gentle, rhythmic beating of the waves against the sand.

At least, not at first.

After a few moments, he noticed something. A small detail, yet he didn't want to leave anything uninvestigated. Bubbles began rising to the surface, small in number, yet they soon began to grow. Then, with his enhanced vision, he detected a vague and loosely defined, yet somewhat humanoid form underneath the water's surface, seemingly struggling to rise.

"Marissa?!"

As if in response to his call, the young woman rose from the depths. Or rather, what was holding her down, her form having been ensnared in its tentacles. The monstrosity from below was a twisted collage of mechanical life and organic, barnacles mutated into alien nightmares with freakishly long tongues that lapped for anything that drew close by, yet that wasn't all. This foe wore the face of Prime's ancient enemy, one he had faced one final time back in the decimated and practically destroyed Autobot City.

"Optimus!" Marissa cried out, wincing in pain from the pressure applied to her smaller body from the massive muscle of the malformed appendage restraining her. "It's a Legion!" she choked, feeling her throat being constricted. "It's been fused with a ship that was wrecked here years ago!"

Optimus Prime observed this as well, and yet, he couldn't help but detect that there was something else about this specimen, this twisted facsimile of the reanimated Megatron. Yet any sort of pondering could come later. For now, he had to focus on getting the human woman away from this monster!

The aquatic behemoth spotted Marissa with its red optics, its face a sickening caricature of the former Decepticon Warlord before his transformation into the foe known as Galvatron, who then also perished at the hands of the Matrix's temporary holder, Rodimus Prime. Only the helmet, hellish-red eyes, and grey color scheme were the only things that remained identical to the original. There was nothing aside from a slight appearance similarity that related this thing to anything Megatron. In fact, it was just barely Megatron at all, the bastard not even able to stay dead properly after Rodimus took out his evolved form!

The Legion in itself paid no mind to this, only caring that it had now ensnared what it had sought out before. And now, with its meal in place, it opened its fleshy yet skeletal mouth to a dark abyss of torn wires and cords that would surely shred her flesh, bringing the human woman forward as it intended to absorb her essence.

The essence of a Kiss Player.

Chapter Text

WHAM!!!

Optimus' colossal fist crashed against the underside of the Legion's jaw, sending a shockwave rippling through the air that reverberated in Marissa's bones. With a sudden surge, she was freed from the creature's nightmarish grip, her heart racing as the exhilarating rush of adrenaline ignited her senses. But instead of finding solace, she was met with a new peril.

Plummeting several feet toward the ocean. The water below loomed like a solid wall, ready to greet her with a bone-jarring impact!

Time seemed to stretch as she hurtled downward, the world around her morphing into a dizzying blur of blue and white, her heart pounding in her chest as she braced for what felt like certain doom. However, fate intervened just in time. A moment later, she felt an unexpected yet gentle pressure beneath her, as her body softly settled into the enormous, blue palm of a metallic giant. 

With its glistening armor reflecting the sunlight, the remarkable figure averted disaster with effortless grace, cradling her with strength and precision. She landed safely, without a single bone broken, in stark contrast to the terrifying plunge she had just endured.

“Marissa, are you all right?” 

The warm, resonant voice sliced through the chaos, wrapping her in a cocoon of reassurance. It was a comforting reminder that even in the most harrowing moments, unexpected help could appear, transforming fear into gratitude. No, this was more than mere assistance.

He had come to her rescue.

He was her hero, her savior, her indomitable source of her strength. 

The very reason she lived, both now and during those distant memories of a childhood overshadowed by uncertainty. In his presence, she felt a profound sense of safety that transcended the chaos surrounding them.

“Prime,” the blonde muttered in awe and admiration, his blue optics, brilliant and burning with soothing, gentle light from within, the very light of the Matrix within him. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks to you.” 

The light of Primus, burning bright for the protection and preservation of all life. 

“It’s no problem, Marissa,” and, in this moment, especially her life. “I am just relieved you are safe.” 

This brief distraction was all the sickening creature needed, launching a tendril forward and smacking the Autobot in the face with tremendous force, the human he had just rescued once again in free fall. Only she never reached the ocean, her “savior” in this case also proving to be her eventual killer.

Upon regaining his senses and standing back upward, Optimus Prime's optics scanned the monstrous form before him, realizing with a jolt that this was no ordinary creature. The Legion, a grotesque fusion of Parasitech and the remnants of a shipwreck, writhed and lashed out with its countless tentacles. Each movement was a deadly threat, and Marissa was still caught in its grasp.

And, just as with all the others, it bore the same face of Megatron. 

D…

…no. 

Not anymore.

With a surge of strength, Optimus lunged forward, his fist crashing against the creature's form, but the Legion barely flinched. It was as if the beast had been forged in the fires of a thousand battles, its resolve unbreakable. 

It didn't take long for the Prime to discover why. 

Marissa, while trapped within its tendrils and struggling to free herself, found her own form steadily growing weaker, the Legion’s hold seemingly robbing her of any semblance of energy she had.

It was feeding off her energy, literally feeding off of her, just in a slower method, but it proved to be enough to transfer her own sustenance to the sickening mutation. 

If she didn't escape, if she didn't find some way out of its grasp, then not only would she be done for, but perhaps even Prime himself. 

Focusing with every amount of mental fortitude, the blonde American woman held her hand outward, a shimmering plasma knife manifesting in her grip, the center of her chest emitting the same bright pink hue. Raiding it upward, its surface glinting in the pale moonlight and numerous stars, she began slashing at the tentacles with practiced precision.

Primus, even if you're not exactly MY God, a little help here would be nice!

"Marissa, hold on!" Optimus's voice boomed, echoing across the battlefield. He knew he had to act quickly. With a roar, he activated his energy axe, deflecting the Legion's retrospective blows and retaliations, all the while he searched for a weakness. Marissa, her face a mask of determination, managed to cut through the final tentacle, freeing herself just as Optimus's strikes and blows began to falter.

He struck down the mutated fusion of Megatron and the sunken vessel at the last second, catching the young woman in his grasp once again. Setting her atop her surfboard, he crept forward, searching for any further sign that the life form was still, somehow, living. 

But the respite was short-lived. As Optimus moved to intercept the Legion, he felt a sudden, searing pain. His systems flickered, and he realized he was leaking vital fluids. The battle was taking a toll, and he knew he couldn't hold out much longer.

Marissa, seeing her hero's predicament, made a split-second decision. Leaping off her board and diving into the water, she rushed to his side, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and resolve as she tried to navigate through both the ocean water and the darkness. Without hesitation, upon being brought close enough, she reached up and kissed him, her lips pressing against his metallic mask, the gentle touch of her organic yet tender flesh meeting his unyielding exterior. 

Their energies intertwined, fusing them into a single, formidable warrior. Optimus felt a surge of power, his wounds healing as Marissa's strength flowed through him. With renewed vigor, he grabbed the Surfblade, a weapon forged from Marissa's surfboard and his battle axe, charging at the Legion.

The newly formed Surfblade sliced through the creature with ease, severing its tentacles and exposing its core. With a final, mighty swing, Optimus drove the blade into the Legion's heart, vanquishing the beast once and for all. The battlefield fell silent, the only sound the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore.

Marissa, her breath coming in ragged gasps, turned to Optimus, her eyes shimmering with a mix of gratitude and something deeper. "Thank you, Prime. You saved me yet again." Her voice was soft, carrying a note of affection that she couldn't hide. Becoming one with the Matrix was always disorienting, but the feeling of solid ground beneath her, the softness of the sand, grounded her in a way that made her heart ache with longing.

Optimus looked at her, his optics softening with a warmth that mirrored her own feelings. "And you saved me, Marissa. Yet again. We make quite the team, don't we?" His voice was gentle, laced with a tenderness that spoke volumes about the bond they shared. In that moment, the world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, their connection as profound as the ocean stretching before them.

As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, they spotted an Autorooper in the distance. The vehicle was occupied, its driver's seat housing a sickly girl. 

“Is it one of EDC’s guys?” Marissa quietly asked, all the while Prime was looking for any members of the aforementioned organization himself. 

“I'm not entirely sure,” the Autobot confessed, transitioning into his convoy mode. “Regardless, I don't think we can afford to find out.” 

Optimus, ever the protector, motioned for Marissa to climb in, and they calmly took their leave, leaving the Autorooper to tend to its passenger.

Marissa, her heart swelling with a symphony of gratitude and yearning, gazed at Optimus with eyes that held a world of unspoken emotions. "Will we ever play under the Sun again?" she asked, her voice a soft, melodic whisper that carried the weight of her dreams and desires. The question hung in the air, a delicate thread of hope and longing.

“Marissa…” Prime spoke, voice always a soothing baritone, yet there was clear uncertainty in his cadance. 

As she spoke, a flicker of guilt crossed her face. "I know it's dangerous, and I should be focusing on keeping safe, but sometimes I just want to feel the board beneath my feet, the spray of the ocean, the freedom of it all." Her admission was raw, a confession of her deepest wishes.

Optimus, his headlights reflecting the dawning light, paused, allowing her words to settle within him. A gentle smile played at the corners of his mouth, a promise in itself. "Yes, Marissa," he replied, his voice a deep, resonant timbre that wrapped around her like a warm embrace. "Someday, when the world is safe and the sun shines bright, we will play again. Just you and I, under the vast, blue sky. And until then, I'll be here to protect you, whether you're surfing the waves or chasing the horizon."

And with that promise, a promise that felt as eternal as the ocean and as warm as the rising sun, they set off into the new day. The Autorooper hummed beneath them, a steady rhythm that matched the beating of their hearts. Together, they faced the horizon, ready to embrace whatever adventures lay ahead, their bond as unbreakable as the dawn itself.