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After the two Autobots drop me off at my home, I receive a tongue lashing from my family. They told me to never run away from home again. I get mad at them and give them a piece of my mind.

"If you would only pay a little attention to me every now and then instead of showering it on him, I wouldn't HAVE a reason to run away from home," I return.

"The things we buy you don't mean anything?" Dad yells at me.

"What good are they when you're never around to tell me that you love me? One of these days, I'll be driving a clutch truck in the rain and misjudge the road conditions, taking an off ramp, and slam into a big exit sign and have it come straight down on the cab, killing me. Then you would have wished that you did tell me how you felt towards me. I would be dead, and all those feelings would be useless, and it will be on your head," I yell as I slam the door to my bedroom. I throw my young body onto my bed and cry to the heavens softly. Tears stream down my face as I sob to myself.

"Hey! Cut it out, dweeb!" I shout as a kid throws a spit wad at me.

"Make me," the ignorant kid at my school retorts.

"All right, you two. The best way is to practice using the weapons that you have chosen," Mr. Miller, my 6th grade physical education teacher, states as he blocks us both.

"I can do a lot of damage with this," the spit wad for brains states as he triumpantly holds up a pike.

I smirk as I hold up my present from my godparent. The student just jeers at me as I take a few practice swings. Then I assume the fighting stance, ready to fight.

"Ready?" Mr. Miller asks us. We both nod as I keep my eyes on my opponent. "Begin!"

We circle each other, feeling out each other's weak points. I twirl the long blade easily in my hands. He thrusts the bladed end of the pike towards my chest. I shift my body completely to the right as I twist.

Then I bring my sword down hard on his pike. He swears softly as I pin his weapon to the ground. I smirk as he swings his arm at me. I pull back as I round house him, knocking him hard to the ground.

"Well done, Christal," Mr. Miller states as he holds up my hand.

"How could you defeat me?"

"Simple, Steve. She came in early and studied after school whenever she could. I taught her moves that are advanced while the rest of you were still in basic. Thus, she is in the advanced class."

"If she's advanced, why did you say I could fight her?"

"Simple. To teach you some humility. Each of you should keep that in mind before you pick on anyone at anytime," Mr. Miller comments. Not everyone listens as I nod and resheath my sword. "Christal, I want you to practice some of the other weapon techinques."

"Why is that, Mr. Miller?" I ask as he tosses me a set of sais. I catch the pronged blades as he smiles softly.

"Because I have taught you all I can about handling your two-handed sword or twin katana blades, whichever one you like to call them."

I nod as I move next to another with sais. By the end of the year at that rough school, I could defend myself and repair or mend my clothes. I also learn why everyone has to go to school.

"Why are you here in school?" Mrs. Bowman asks the reading class. I raise my hand. "Christal?" "We are here to learn..."

"Wrong," she interrupts me as she points at me. "You are here to listen."

I think about what she just said. I still do not understand what she states next. I lift an eyebrow as she continues.

"You can learn at home. Here at school, you are here to listen to what your teachers are saying and understand what they say."

"Yes, Mrs. Bowman," the class choruses.

Off the side, I also make special jewelry that vary in price. I leave the money from my work by accident in my next period class, thinking the door would be locked. I have my lunch and return to the classroom to find the money gone. I overhear someone bragging how they tricked me and stole my money. I confront the thief alone.

"I know you stole my money, Latashia. I want it back."

"I didn't steal your stupid money," she retorts snottily.

I shrug my shoulders and leave her to stew in her own. During science class, she sits right behind me, repeating what she said before. I start to draw in order to ignore her.

"Christal, put that away," the science teacher tells me.

Then Latashia starts up again with the same old phrase. I try to ignore her. Each time, I get told to put whatever it is away so I can listen to the teacher. The third time, the teacher takes my drawing away from me. I had previously asked that Latashia be seated away from me.

"I did not steal your money," Latashia whispers to me again. I clench my fists, throw my windbreaker jacket over my head, and become very still.

"Christal? Are you okay?" the teacher asks.

"I don't think she's breathing," someone states near me.

"I HATE THIS SCHOOL! I HATE THIS SCHOOL! I HATE THIS SCHOOL!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Next thing I know, Mr. Miller rushes into the classroom and takes me to the counselor's office. The counselor sighs softly as I reluctantly relate everything that happened for me to scream that. She smiles softly at my falling tears.

"It's okay, Christal. I'm going to write you a pass so you can relax and calm down. Use the rest of the day to help ease your nerves, okay?"

I merely nod as she leads me to the library. The librarian sits me in front of a computer and inserts a game diskette. I jump slightly when I hear the bell for the start of the last class of the day. Then I sigh and smile softly as I return to my game.

"I don't have to go to class if I don't want to," I whisper to the computer. I continue to play the various games until the final bell sounds for the end of the day.

"So, how was your day?" Mom asks, not really listening.

"Mom, are you going to be pi$$ed¹ at me?" I ask as I hand my head a little.

"Pi$$ed? Why should I be?" She turns to me, paying attention as I again tell what happened at school that day.

"And that is exactly what happened," I state as I look directly into her eyes.

"They did not call me about that." She storms to the kitchen as I sulk into my room to do my homework. "Yes, I want to speak to Mr. Davis," Mom states into the telephone. I look over to the long range walkie talkie that the Autobots gave me in order to keep in touch with them. I have the radio on low volume as I hear Optimus Prime talking to Megatron.

"It's not like you to allow yourself to be a target, Megatron!" Optimus shouts.

"I came here not to fight, but to talk."

"What do you want, Megatron?"

"A fight between just you and me. The loser leaves Earth and the winner stays wherever they wish. Do you accept my challenge?"

"Don't accept, Optimus. It is a trap," I whisper.

"Each of us must come to battle as is. Is that understood, Megatron?"

"Perfectly. Do you accept?"

"My honor demands that I accept."

"Good. Meet me at..."

"Christal! Get in here so we can have a pow wow!" mom shouts at me.

"Great. Another family discussion. But more than likely it will turn into a yelling contest," I sigh as I debate over calling the Autobots over going to the family meeting.

"Christal, get in here or else!" Mom shouts again.

I sigh as I trudge dutifully to the living room. I prop my elbows up as I listen to mom jump on everyone's case about everything and anything. Now, one might think I would retort like dad or Charles about mom, but I just did not feel like getting into a shouting match with her. I make a mental note as to what mom wants done and the best possible way to get her off MY case.

"Hey, don't you have anything to say?" Dad asks me.

"Why should I? I will only be yelled at for voicing my opinion. Why bother?"

Mom and Dad look at each other, confused, as I get up and sigh softly. I go back to my room and flop down on my bed as Teletran-1 goes to red alert. I listen as the super computer tells that it is under attack and activates the Dinobots.

"Teletran-1 calls. We go," Grimlock responds.

I chuckle softly as the computer identifies the intruders as Constructions. Then I hear Ratchet and Wheeljack working on repairing Optimus Prime. I sigh softly as I shake my head.

"Come in, Teletran-1," I grab the radio and speak into it.

"Teletran-1 here."

"This is Christal Falcon. Check Optimus's wounds and compare them to the various attacks of all the Decepticons."

"Chip has just asked me to do the diagnoistic."

"Run program, then."

A few minutes later, Chip comes across the radio. "I just ran Optimus's wounds through Teletran-1, and well, look!"

I smile softly as I hear murmers and grunts of disbelievement. I lay down on the bed as I fold my hands behind my head. I wiggle my toes as another voice comes across the radio.

"That means that Megatron cheated, and we can ignore the agreement with him," Cliffjumper replies.

I smile as I get up to get around for bed. I shower as I see with my second sight. I see a lot of things that deal with a variety of people interacting with each other. I step out of the shower, trying to figure out one particular section with parts missing when I looked in the mirror and see a glowing white five pointed star on my forehead.

I nearly scream as I drop the towel from my hair. My bangs fall over the star as the mirror fogs over with steam. I wipe the mirror and push back my bangs to find the star had disappeared. I wipe the steam and the sweat from my forehead as I sigh.

"For a moment, I thought I was seeing things. Thank goodness."

Then I finish getting around for bed. I crawl into bed after blowing a kiss to the radio. I smile as I hear a familar voice speak.

"Goodnight, Christal Falcon," Iron Hide states as I snuggle into my warm bed.

The next day is Saturday, and thus there is no school. I stay in my room save for when I needed to do something. Mom wonders why I am hardly around the house and she catches me talking to the radio.

"Who are you talking to?"

Being a child who knows better than to lie to her mother, I answer, "The Autobots..."

"Stinking robots?!" She grabs my communicator and destroys it.

"No! They are my friends...." She grabs me by my shoulders and shakes me violently after slapping me across my face.

"Robots don't have feelings. They are just using you. Don't listen to their lies. They are only programmed to say such things. When they are done with you, they'll kill you, filthy robots," she screams at me. I push out of her arms, landing on my bed, sobbing my heart out of my body. "The truth hurts, don't it? Good, maybe that will teach you...." She leaves my room, closing the door behind her.

Over the summer after that school, my family moves to Quantico. My dad had been assigned to work there. Such is the life of a military child. One never knows when or where that one will be the next day.

During the boring summer days, Mom, Charles, and I remain in the filthy motel room due to there being no housing ready for us to live in. Being couped up for the summer in a small one room leaves much time to fight but no time to practice with my weapons. I remain in my small area, writing or drawing. There is nothing really for us to do while Dad has the van.

Towards the end of the summer, we finally get a house. The house is part of a duplex on about an eighth of an acre. Believe me, that is small. The rest of the summer, I spend unpacking and making my room my new home. I stretch out on my bed as I listen to Charles complain about getting the smaller room.

"She got her stuff into that room, and the only way you would get it now is to move all her things into the small room and arrange it like she had it in the larger room. That is the only way you can get that room," Mom states.

"Never mind," Charles grumbles as he stomps back to his rom.

I smirk as I sigh, looking at the broken radio I received from the Autobots. I run my fingers tenderly over the busted parts and remember the last time I actually talked to the Autobots. I had recorded some information to be unlocked at a later date.

"This is Christal Falcon. The information that follows is to be used with extreme wisdom. The Decepticons will eventually conquer Cybertron. Iron Hide will want to bust some Decepticon chops, but he will not see Lazerbeak spying on them. The Decepticons will kill everyone on the Autobot shuttle to Earth. Autobot City will be nearly destroyed by the Decepticons. Megatron will grab Hot Rod who will see him reach for a hidden gun. Optimus will not fire with the young Autobot in the way. Megatron will fire on Optimus causing Prime to fall. Optimus will gather the last of his strength to smash Megatron in his insignia, causing Megatron to fall and the Decepticons to retreat. Ultra Magnus will receive the Matrix but then lose it to Galvatron, the remade Megatron, on the planet known as Junkion. Kup, Hot Rod, and the Dinobots will crash land on Quintessa, home to the Quintisons. There they will meet Wheelie. Spike and Carlie will have a son named Daniel. Hot Rod will retrieve the Matrix from Galvatron in the monster planet called Unicron. Hot Rod will become Rodimus Prime; however, he will be unsure of himself. He must learn that Optimus is Optimus, and Rodimus will be a great leader if he stops doubting himself. If he continues to doubt himself, he won't have the courage to face his greatest enemy.²

"This is as far as I can see into the future. Keep this file for further reference and let me know what came to pass and what didn't..."

"Christal, who are you talking to?" my mom asked.

"The Autobots," I answered.

That simple answer sent Mom into a rage, leaving me with no way to communicate with the Autobots anymore. I weep as I remember and rehear each individual voice in my head. I wipe away my tears as I look over the special knife I bought without anyone knowing about it.

The blade is especially sharp after the hours I spent sharpening and shining it. I take one of my already thin hairs and split it even more on the blade to test its true sharpness. I smile grimly as I wait until everyone falls asleep.

I slink out of the house through my bedroom window taking the small sharp pocketknife that I use to whittle sometimes. I sigh softly as I make my way to a small clearing. Looking around, I see no one in the area. Just when one thinks that the tears have run dry from one's eyes, one finds yet another reason to cry. I hear a soft moaning as I get up and follow it to the source. I nearly scream at the creature lying near death before me.

On its forehead are two horns and bat-like wings on its back and a long tail barely showing beneath its body. Its feet are hooves, and I see the blood as I tear part of my shirt and make a bandage. I flee when another one comes and lands next to the wounded one.

"Boethiah," the newly arrived cries out. "It's me, Daeleus, come on." I see from my hiding spot the wounded grasps the other's hand.

"There was a human who shot me. An angel came and bandaged me...."

"Come on, let's get you back home." They leave quietly, going deeper into the woods.

"Oh, man. What was I thinking? I helped a demon.... I don't deserved to live..." I sob softly as I creep quietly in the opposite direction, back to my spot. I unclick the knife and hold it over my left wrist.

"Life is too precious to take. The path from inner turmoil begins with a friendly ear. My ear is open, if you care to use it," a voice states to me as I whip my head around, looking for the source. I nearly scream when I finally set my eyes on it.

"A giant four foot tall talking rat is speaking to me...," I gasp out loud.

"My name is Splinter, and your name is?"

"Christal, Mister Splinter."

He chuckles softly. "I am a Master of ninjitsu. Please, why would you want to end your life?"

"Well, Master Splinter, my mom hates robots, and my only friends are robots. She destroyed my only way of communicating with them." He comes closer to me and hugs me as I weep softly into his shoulder.

"Shhh. I will be your friend, young Christal. Shhh, it will be all right," he soothes my small frame.

I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and arm as I look up at him. "Could you teach me ninjitsu, please?"

He smiles softly as he nods. "You must follow every bit that I tell you to do, okay?"

"Yes, sir. When do we start?"

"Now. First thing, put that knife away, and do not try to kill yourself again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master Splinter. I promise." He smiles as he pats my shoulder as I put the knife away in my pocket.

"We must begin by building your strength and endurance by losing excess weight." I groan softly but do as he tells me.

The weeks pass, and I slim down and become a looker in my own fashion. I learn all sorts of techniques and fighting styles. The weeks roll into months then years. My tenth grade year sees me a very powerful and lethal woman. I take no one's crap in school or at home.

"What happened?" Dad yells at me after I did the one thing that Mom could not do. I put Charles in his place, and both of them realize that I tire of their acts, and it was time to clean them.

"I tire of everyone being cruel to me. I have the right to choose my friends as long as it does not endanger me or others. The Autobots will never do anything to harm me or others. She," I wave towards Mom, "forbade me from having anything to do with them. I will not follow in your footsteps of anger and hatred. That is the path of cowardice and idiocy. I tire of it. I will do what is necessary to become the best despite your plans for otherwise."

Mom cries out with joy. "About time you showed some backbone, Chris."

"Mom!" Charles pouts softly. I growl softly at him, and he steps away from me.

Dad slaps the two of us on the backs and smiles softly. "I know that how we tried to raise you is wrong. We just wanted to see if you knew. I am proud of you."

"About time you showed feelings other than anger towards me..."

"That was not anger towards you but to ourselves. Oh, how much I wanted to get you on the right path..."

"Reverse psychology, huh?"

"On the nose."

"So, I can still be friends with the Autobots? You'll not complain about my new friend?"

Mom lowers her head in shame. "I went to Oregon to explain to them what happened, and they said that I had no right doing what I did but gave me this..." She hands me an improved communicator as I squeal with joy and rush outside to go show Master Splinter.

"Child, slow down. What is it?"

"Mom was using reverse psychology on me. She and Dad wanted us to say how they were raising Charles and I wrong. I stood up to her and Dad, and she gave me this." I show him the communicator as I turn on the machine. "This is Christal, does anyone have their ears on the Autobot net?"

A voice I had long missed responds, "This is Autobot Jazz, is that you, Christal Falcon?"

"Jazz, hey, how's everything in good guy central?"

"Hey everyone, guess who's on the horn?" I hear Jazz ask to those behind him.

"Do not leave us in suspense, Jazz," I hear a gruff voice retaliates.

"You son of a glitch... Iron Hide, is that your rusty old voice I hear?" I exclaim into the communicator.

"Ah don't believe it, Christal. So yer momma finally gave ya' the communicator, huh?"

"Yes, she finally saw my backbone, and I showed her how we should be raised. I made a friend who taught me to stand up for myself and helped me get over my shyness. I owe him a lot besides my life."

"Christal, it is good to hear your voice again."

"Optimus," I whisper softly into the machine.

I hear a soft chuckling as I wipe away a tear. "I hear that you made a new friend. Anyone we may know?"

"I don't think so. He hails from New York and is training me how to defend myself. I can fight now, but no way under the sun am I going to go toe to toe with the Decepticons." They all chuckle as Master Splinter touches my shoulder. "I have to sign off for now. Have to keep training. I will give you guys a buzz later when we can really sit down and catch up on happenings. Christal Falcon, over and out."

"Autobots, out."

Under Master Splinter's training, I learn quickly and easily. Yes, there were times when it got too difficult, but I stuck to it, never giving up on myself because of the Autobots, Master Splinter, and now my family will not give up on me. My body becomes lean and supple, fast and strong under his exercises.

One day, I notice a strange vehicle parked near Master Splinter's home. I sneak towards it and look it over carefully. I hear voices inside his home as I draw my sword, ready for action while I creep inside, following the voices to their source.

"Master, I understand your need to finish training, but we still need you."

"Yes, Master Splinter. Our home doesn't seem the same without you."

"Leonardo, Donatello, I understand your concern; however, Christal is one of the best pupils I have ever seen. She has a quick mind and an eagerness to learn that neither of you could rival."

"I take it that you know them, Master," I state, making my presence known. The four draw their weapons as they try to find me.

"Hiding in the shadows again, Christal?" Master Splinter chuckles as the four look to each other.

"Yes, I want to know how good these four are compared to me. If they can find me, that is..."

"Over there, Mike."

Mike throws a ninja star as I laugh, "Nope, colder than ice."

"Over there, Raphael," Leonardo states, pointing in another corner.

"Ha!" Raphael throws a sai at the corner.

"Nope. Didn't Master Splinter teach you anything about throwing your voice?"

"There!" Donatello shouts as he vaults over to another corner.

"Not there either. Man, you four must be lousy at hide and seek and Marco Polo," I state as I rest my hand on Splinter's shoulder, throwing my voice beneath Mike's feet.

"Where is she?" Leonardo asks frustratedly.

Master Splinter just shakes his head. "She is behind me." They turn as I wiggle my fingers in greeting to them.

"How did you do that?" Leonardo asks.

"Learned it from the Master, right?"

Master Splinter chuckles as he puts his arm around me. "Yes, she did. Which proves that you can achieve such if you would just try to pay attention to my teachings."

They uncloak themselves, bringing a gasp from me. "Five foot tall talking turtles? I suppose if I talk to robots and rats, I can talk to turtles."

After getting over my initial shock, we become good friends, training together. One day, I am alone and sing to myself to pass the time. I think to myself of how I feel lonely and different than the rest of the children my age, and I add my sorrow and pain into the power of my singing. Then I hear someone crying, and I stop and follow it to the source. Leonardo sits on a stone, crying softly but wipes his face when he sees me.

"Leo, what's wrong?" I ask as I sit down next to him.

"I don't know. I heard the most beautiful voice and then I felt real sad. My eyes began to water up on their own," he replies softly.

"I don't know what to say...," I start as the rock we are sitting on explodes.

I land on my feet with my left hand touching the ground. I look up to see some sort of mindless robot holding a gun on the both of us. Leonardo moves to attract its attention from me so I can escape. I shake my head as a storm gathers around the area.

Remembering that the wind was my friend, I ask to myself, "If I have control over the wind, could I have control over the very weather?"

I raise my right hand high into the air, and the very air crackles around me. Leonardo starts to run towards me as the mindless robot levels its gun at me. I take a deep breath and then there is a gun shot.

"NOOO!" Leonardo screams as he tries to beat the bullet.

"Lightning STRIKE!!" I yell as my hand claws the air to touch the ground. Seconds later, lightning streaks down to explode the machine. The blast from its gun grazes over my back as i fall the rest of the way down to the ground.

"Christal, are you okay?" Leo asks me.

"Yeah, just a little winded, that's all."

"Where did you learn a trick like that?"

"Don't know. I just can do it," I reply as I stand on my wobbly legs.

Leonardo relates everything to the others, and they look at me in a new light. A couple of months pass, and I tell them about the upcoming talent show. I am afraid of failing everyone.

"There will be talent search agents there. I don't want to muff up my chance at being a singer," I sigh softly.

"Christal, I've heard you sing. You're real good. They'll see your talent and...," Leonardo starts.

"Laugh me off the stage," I finish.

"Hey, no way, dudette."

"Yeah, anyone makes fun of you will have me to answer," Raphael retorts. I sigh softly again.

"I don't know...."

"Christal, stop belittling yourself. You're good, and there's no doubt about that," Donatello states as Leo places an arm around my shoulders.

"We'll go to cheer you on stage. You'll knock their socks off their feet," Leo states as he hugs me a little.

"Thanks, you guys. We'll see if I am any good to be discovered. I'm working on the songs I should sing, and these are the ones I have to heart. What do you think?" I ask as I hand them a very short list of songs.

"You should have a variety here, Christal," Raph states as he glances over the titles.

"I happen to like rock and roll. You will NOT catch me singing some of the trash that passes for music now, though there are a few exceptions."

"Have you decided on an outfit for the talent show, dudette?" Mike asks.

"Yes, a white lioness motif..."

"Why a lion?" Donatello asks.

"Something I saw in a dream. It showed me singing in front of a group of people, a concert, in a white lioness outfit. Nearly always when I dream about something, it comes true. I am going to try it and see where it takes me."

It is now the day of the talent show. My family and friends are there to support me, including Jazz and Blaster. I watch nervously as the other acts do their thing. Some of them get a roaring applause, some booed, or some a polite clapping. Unfortunately for me, I drew last place to perform, so I am backstage, trying to calm down so I can sing.

"The audience must be tired of singers. They booed me," a boy singer states to his friends as they walk by me.

"Then, I'm toast," I think to myself as I gulp and wait. I pace the backstage, just like a real lioness would if caged. "Relax, Christal. Think of the future. Think of that creature you saved. Much better. I was wrong to think poorly of myself back then. Who knows the creature's real purpose in life? It could have been a good spirit in the body of an evil creature, much like I was."

Finally, it is my turn to the stage. I walk slowly and carefully onto the stage. I take the microphone and wait for the band to reorganize themselves. They nod as I start to sing, low at first but then in intensity. Soon everyone shouts for more as I blush and sing my next song. They request me to sing two more than what I originally planned before the judges stop them and me.

"We have a winner! Christal Falcon, we present you with this trophy," the judges state to me as they shake my hand.

On to Chapter 3

¹Since nearly all the servers do not really allow swearing, I have to use $ signs for "s"s for the bad language. Be watching for more slightly censored words in the future.*sighs softly*

²A basic recap from Transformers: The Movie to about "The Burden Hardest to Bear."