Kicker Returned

Kicker was scolded harshly by his father after Optimus had returned him to his parents. He had tried to tell his father, again, how much he hated it on Cybertron, but his father wouldn't have it. Kicker was sequestered to his room as his punishment, but it didn't feel like a one. It was a reprieve from the insanity that was Cybertron.

The Jones' apartment was small, but cozy. Kicker shared a room with his baby sister although, it never bothered him. The kitchen and living room were practically the same room. Only a wall with an open window in it separated the rooms. Usually, Kicker's father was never home, but on the odd occasion that he was, there was a desk and computer setup in the living room for him to work on. This was one of those occasional weeks where Dr. Jones would stay home from work.

The living quarters for humans had been modified from old holocron shafts. Minibots had constructed the plumbing and electrical workings in each apartment to suit human needs and technology making for a smoother moving process for Cybertron's small guests. The hallway was one of many that had been modded to suite human foot traffic. With elevators that would rise up to over 7 stories tall and concrete walkways that lead to each door it was similar looking to an old sugar mill, except giant autonomous robotic organisms could jog by and cause enough tremors to break every vase in the block.

Bots were no longer allowed to run in areas designated for humans.

A few days passed and Kicker's punishment had been lifted and he was now allowed to play with his toys and video games as he pleased. Although, and he would never admit it, Kicker had spent his time reading the books that were aimlessly strewn around his bedroom. Granted he was only eight, but Kicker started reading the short chapter books that his great aunt Glinda had given him the Christmas before. They were surprisingly good.

Kicker had begun to wonder about things he would have never thought of before, like, how almost everything on his side of the room was a primary color. He liked the reds, blues, and yellows in his room. He would sometimes get a weird feeling in his chest, like the buzz and hum of honeybees at work, then he would hear the stomping of one of the Autobots walking by in the huge hall just outside his room. Each time a different bot walked by the sensation in his chest would be subtly different. He realized that he could tell who was walking by just by the feeling in his chest. If it was Hotshot, it would feel calm and controlled, like how sitting at the edge of a lake might feel. If it was Ironhide he would feel excitement and anticipation, just how he would feel at the start of a game of soccer.

Later in the day Optimus walked by then stopped, pausing at his parent's apartment door as if wondering to himself 'Should I stop?'. Kicker knew it was him. No other bot gave the impression that the large and noble Autobot leader did. It was the feeling of discipline, kindness, and safety.

Kicker had been playing gently with his baby sister's hand as she was being held in the lap of their mother, when he sensed Optimus come in the direction of his home. Mrs. Jones was sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall for support as she talked with Kicker. They had been talking about what he had been doing while he had been grounded, suddenly, she saw his eyes flash from their usual brown to a bright golden color then back to brown. She looked up to her husband, who had been sitting at his computer across the room and was about to say something when the stomping of feet stopped near their apartment. Kicker's face went sour, and a frown edged its way onto his chin. He could feel who was in the hall. It was Optimus, and he was going to stop at the apartment this time.

Kicker wanted to run out the door a yell at the bots to leave his family alone. Kicker wanted nothing more than for his family to finally go back home to Earth. Kicker was about to stand and go to the door when he suddenly fell the calming whispers of Primus.

'Wait and listen Kicker.'

It was only a few words, but they were enough to elicit obedience from Kicker. Primus was his friend, yes, but Primus was also ancient. The difference in ages only impressed the feeling of seniority over Kicker, the same way a child feels to an adult. Kicker didn't understand how he could still hear his words even though he was nowhere near Primus's core. This confused him, but he stayed seated and waited just as Primus had asked him to.

Mrs. Jones stood with Sally in her hands after hearing a tap at their apartment door. At the sound of the knock, Dr. Jones looked up from the simulations he was running and stood to answer the door. Mrs. Jones gave Sally to Kicker, who took her and sat her in his lap. As Sally resumed playing with the toys that were laid one the floor, Kicker watched and strained to hear the conversation being had at the door. It was no use; he couldn't hear being so far away from the door. He could only half watch as his attention was split between his sister and his parents. His mom suddenly leaned against the doorway and Kicker could see that she was holding her hand to her mouth. Her sudden change in body language made him alert and he looked to his dad to see if he had a reaction.

Dr. Jones placed a hand on Melinda's shoulder and trailed it down her arm to find her hand and held it tight. The information Optimus had just conveyed was as shocking as it was interesting. Kicker. His son had a knack for causing trouble, but this was something else entirely.

"What are you going to do? Will you take him from us?" Melinda held back her emotions and spoke in a careful voice. She pushed herself off the hinge of the door and stood upright. Dr. Jones held her hand ever tighter.

Optimus shook his head and raised a hand to place it on the steel railing that would allow the humans on the level to walk from the floor level to their apartments. "No, we would never take him from you. We only want to understand why he has these abilities and if he will develop any others." Optimus spoke softly so the young parents before him wouldn't feel as alarmed. He hoped that the Jones' could see his intentions to protect Kicker as pure and without malice.

After a lasting silence and exchanged glances between the two parents Dr. Jones sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, but I want to oversee everything, every test, scan, and prick."

"We want to oversee everything." Melinda said resolutely.

Optimus's eyes evaluated the two for a moment then he nodded, satisfied, "Very well. Ratchet is still gathering what equipment we might need; he should be done with preparations in a few days. I will let you know when we are ready. You may want to speak with Kicker so as to not frighten him."

Dr. Jones closed the door after wishing Optimus a goodnight. He was reeling from the revelation of Kicker's abilities. What was it that made Kicker so special? Why him? Why not an Autobot or at least an adult who could use the new conduit of communication more efficiently? Melinda went over to where Kicker and Sally were playing, and she took Sally out of her brother's lap. She began fussing as she realized that she was being taken away from Kicker but stopped when she realized that she could now see him. Melinda sat on the floor with them, and Dr. Jones joined them.

"Kicker, do you know who that was?" Dr. Jones asked in that way that parents talk to subtly tell you that they know you know the answer.

'Of course, I know, how wouldn't I know?' thought Kicker, but he answered politely, "It was Optimus wasn't it?"

Dr. Jones nodded, "You know what he talked to us about?"

Kicker hated these kinds of games. The kind where your parents punish you without ever laying a hand on you. They do it by making you feel smaller than you really are. It was a tactic his father used often when Kicker would get angry or act without thinking first, and it only served to make him angrier.

"I couldn't hear since you all were talking so far away, but I guess you were talking about me. Since I ran away something's wrong with me." Kicker fiddled with the toy car in his hand. He spun the wheels on it back and forth to help ease his anxiety.

"Nothing is wrong with you sweetheart," His mom's voice soothed, as she noticed his agitation, "You are just able to do something that you weren't able to before, Mom and Dad are just afraid for you."

Kicker turned to her, "You get afraid?"

Melinda laughed then reached out to Kicker to rub his back, "Of course sweetie, even adults get scared sometimes. That's why we get so angry when you go off on your own. Haven't I told you about anger always having a buddy emotion?"

Kicker breathed a little easier, "Yes, I didn't know you still deal with that when you get big though."

Dr. Jones clasped his large warm hand on Kicker's elbow, "We deal with it everyday kiddo, but we know that if we let our emotions get the better of us every time then we would get nowhere. I know that being here is scary, but your mom and I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"It's our jobs as parents to protect you and your baby sister, but that also means it's your job to listen to us." Kicker's mom let authority slip into her voice. She meant it.

Kicker felt like he shouldn't look them in the eyes when his parents spoke this way, but he knew that they loved him. As he raised his head his lip quivered and he bit it slightly to get it to stop, "I didn't mean to fall down the hole, the metal gave out underneath me. Primus just caught me that's all. I don't know why I can hear him talk." Kicker couldn't stop the tears now, and he sniffed as his nose began to run.

Dr. Jones pulled Kicker into a hug and positioned him so Kicker could lean on his chest. Kicker buried his face in his Dad's chest, and the smell of his dad's cologne had a calming effect on him. Kicker's legs were too long to curl underneath him, so they hung awkwardly off the side of his father's lap.

"Oh Kicker, It will all be ok. In a few days we are going to try and find out what exactly you can do and how you got these abilities. We can even go and talk to Primus himself if the tests don't show anything." His father's voice sounded tired but optimistic.

Kicker sniffed hard, rubbed his eye, then looked up at his dad, "Tests?"

His mom reassured him, "Don't worry honey, we will be there too. You won't have to take them by yourself."

Kicker wasn't sure what kind of tests he would have to take, but he hoped they weren't like the ones on his online classes for school.